Percy & Nico's Infinite Playlist
by theboringdolphin
Summary: Two nasty exes, a newly dumped teen, a live wire not afraid to speak his mind, a drunken friend gone missing, three meddling girls and an epic, top secret rock show of all rock shows. Just the perfect night on the town only New York City can offer.


_Hello everyone!_

 _I know it's been a long time since I was last here and I'm sorry I basically fell off the face of the earth. As you can see I'm here with a new story and not a new update like I said I was going to do but honestly, there's more work that needs to be done before I can update my stories. For example, I'm rewriting almost all of my chapters for the current open stories I have so as you can see that takes awhile. Now this fic is based off the movie/book Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist._

 _I was actually thinking of making this a two chapter story but both chapters being completely the same except the roles are reversed in Chapter 2...who knows if I still might do that...let me know if that's something you might want to see. Having the roles reversed where instead of Percy playing Nick and Nico playing Norah, it's Percy as Norah and Nico as Nick._

 _Now there is a bit of smut in this chapter, more so towards the end when Nico and Percy are finally alone in the recording studio like how Nick and Norah were alone. Just a warning in case some of you don't want to read that part of the story, you know when it begins so you can skip it._ _Also there is strong language in this fic, which is why it's rated M._

 _Okay if you're still with me after this A/N enjoy the story! And please let know what you think in the reviews! I seriously appreciate it!_

 ** _Disclaimer: I don't own PJO/HOO or Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist_**

* * *

Percy stared at the walls in his room as the line continued to ring. Music was playing on his computer, something to distract him from the nerves balling up inside his stomach. All around, as he looked at the posters hung up on his walls, the line continued to ring and he tried not to hope (but failed) that the line would be picked up. His walls were a navy blue color, he had posters of favorite bands and pictures of his friends and family, all hanging up, with the bisexual flag right above the headboard of his bed.

Soon he heard the click.

 _"This is Taylor, leave a message after the beep."_

Disappointment settled in Percy's stomach. He knew it was hopeless but some part of him couldn't help it. Couldn't seem to give up.

"Hey Taylor it's Percy. How've you been? It's uh-about three p.m. right now, I think you're still at school...I uh, took a personal day today so I stayed home..." Percy paced back and forth his room, he knew he was rambling but he couldn't stop himself, soon enough he reached his window and looked outside, "I was just doing some stuff around here, finishing up some...creative projects..." Percy paused for a bit, "nothing-nothing to do with you though. So-real sorry I missed you I was hoping to get you on the phone and maybe talk to you...maybe we could have met up-and I guess I just kinda wanted to speak to you at some point."

Percy walked away from his window and came up to the wall full of pictures of friends and family where he still had pictures of Taylor and him together. Some of just Taylor sitting on Percy's car, or with a flower on Taylor's hair, sitting in the grass. Pictures of Taylor and Percy wearing matching shirts with a photo of theirs on the shirts. It was cheesy and so corny but Percy loved it all. Even the stupid picture of them together with the words _Homies for Life_ written above was adorable.

"Uh, you know I think last we spoke-we both kinda said some really nasty things to each other that neither of us meant," Percy couldn't help it, he put his face right on the wall near the pictures of his ex and him, "you know, just, like...when you broke up with me, you know and everything...on like, my b-day." He shook his head, and went to sit in front of his computer, "also that mix playlist on that flash drive I left on your doorstep was the last one that I'll be making for you..." A _ping_ sounded from his computer signaling that music files were transferred into the new flash drive. Percy looked at the flash drive, as if it were accusing him of something, "more or less." He got up and went to lay on his bed, "anyway give me a call, whenever you can. I-I'm doing great, I hope you're doing very well. Have a great weekend, uh, do something fun just...y'know just get out there. Alright, bye."

Percy looked at his phone once he was finished, and soon heard the automated voice saying, _"your message has been deleted, if you would like to rerecord your message.."_ Percy ended the calling, a small fuck leaving his mouth as soon as he heard that.

* * *

 **RIIIINNNNNGGGG**

Students started to file out of the classrooms as the last bell rang, signaling the end of school and ringing in the weekend. Nico made his way out of his classroom as boys talked to one another about their plans for the weekend, or about the fact that football season was starting up again. He had his headphones in and his phone out as he continued to jam out while making his way to his locker moving past the students in the all boys high school Nico attended.

"Nico," someone called, which was promptly ignored by said boy as he opened his locker and started to take some books out of his bag to put away. "Nico!" Said the voice again before the person who was trying to get the brown eyed boy's attention promptly smacked Nico on the butt, "it's Friday!" Nico turned around to see his best friend Will smiling down at him.

Will Solace had been Nico's best friend since freshman year almost four years ago. He was a blond with blue eyes so crystal clear and a lean body. His blond hair was wavy, curling up on some ends and untameable. Small freckles dusted his checks and across his nose, and he was a lot taller than Nico.

"I'm sorry do you mind? I'm in my zone," Nico replied, smirking at him.

"Oh you're in your zone? I'm sorry am I interrupting you and your zone?" Will made a move to remove Nico's headphones so that the brown eyed boy could listen to him clearly.

"What?" Nico said moving his head away from the blond, "what? What? What?"

"Could you-could you," Will struggled to get his question out as he moved along with Nico, "could you please come join my zone?" Will asked, finally getting one ear bud off Nico and laughing along with the brown eyed boy.

"Hey guys," a new voice broke through Nico and Will's laughter and they both turned to look at the newcomer heading their way.

"Hi," Will smiled at his friend.

"Hey Taylor," Nico said, none too excited, he didn't really like Taylor very much. At all actually.

Taylor Vivas was a Latino boy with brown hair and gray eyes, mostly rare in most Latino families and a lean build. He was also a huge dick, in Nico's humble opinion.

Taylor looked at them both smiling wickedly, "he made another one," he said before showing Will and Nico another flash drive, inside a card, "look at the ridiculous cover art." Taylor pointed out the yellow card with a moon and city skyscrapers. Nico looked at the card and stood quiet, although he did want to say something, he thought Taylor wouldn't really appreciate what Nico had to say. With that, Taylor threw the card containing the flash drive of mixes into the trash bin right by Nico's locker and left.

Will eyed Nico the through it all, knowing what his best friend was thinking the whole time, "don't," he said as soon as Taylor left, Nico looked at him for a brief second before looking back at the discarded flash drive, "don't do it."

"Don't do what?" Nico asked innocently as moved towards the trash bin.

"Let's go already!" Will said closing Nico's locker. Nico soon dug out the thrown card with the flash drive in it and looked at the cover art.

"He makes the best mixes in the world. And look at this cover art! Taylor does not know what he gave up," Nico opened the card some more, revealing more of the cover art. One side of it had a taxi cab making it's way down the road, on the other side it had words written on it, " _'Road to Closure Volume 12?"_ " Nico read the title, "god, poor bastard."

"You are so in love with this guy, it is ridiculous," Will snorted.

"Okay," Nico started, trying to defend himself, "I have never met the guy, I have no idea who he is, I don't want to know who he is, I'm just gonna put this on my computer and then my phone."

"Right, sure," Will nodded his head along as the pair walked towards the exit.

* * *

Percy was finishing up one last cover art for the latest mix playlist he had done for Taylor when he heard the familiar sound of a specific beep, coming from a familiar van. He got up from his desk and made his way over to his window where he saw a dark brown van crash into his garbage cans, knocking them both down. Percy opened up his window as he saw his friends climbing out, he winced at the fact that the trash bags had been spilled out on the floor.

"Is that uh, always there?" Piper McLean asked as she got out of the driver's side. Her chocolate brown, choppy hair framing her beautiful face, two braids coming down on either side of her head. She was wearing gray skinny jeans and a white crop top and as always, looked beautiful.

"Yes, always," Percy answered his friend as she started to pick up the garbage.

"I told you to be careful Piper," Annabeth Chase soon followed her out, her beautiful gray eyes narrowing as she made her way to the trash cans, her blonde, curly hair pulled up into a half up-do, half down. She wore a black crop top with skinny jeans and her black converse, looking just as attractive as Piper. "Sorry Perce."

Percy closed his window and soon bounded down the stairs of his house before opening his front door, "yo."

"Yo," Piper and Annabeth said at the same time, smiling at him with news to share but before they could get to that...

"I'm not going," Percy said, looking between the two.

"Whaaa? What do you mean you're not going?" Piper asked, looking at Percy as if he had grown a second head.

Annabeth glared at Percy slightly, "let's load the van," she gestured behind her.

"I don't wanna go, I'm taking a mental health day," Percy said.

"Okay we have a gig Perce! This is a big night for us!" Piper semi-yelled, panic was slowly taking over her. There was no way they were going as a two person band with no bass player and no drummer.

"This is our first night with our new name," Annabeth agreed with Piper, "we are the Jerk Offs!" Piper snorted.

"No, no," Piper said, "not that."

"Blue Indigo," Annabeth corrected herself, smiling at her joke, "we are Blue Indigo!"

"Yeah plus we finally found a drummer," Piper said.

"You found a drummer?" Percy asked, "who?"

Annabeth gestured to the electronic drum set she was carrying in her arms, "uh hello? This!"

Percy looked at the thing she was carrying and his excitement faded as soon as it started, "that's a children's toy. And besides who's gonna operate that thing?"

"You," Piper smiled at him.

"Okay," Percy moved to open his door, "thanks for coming by guys."

"No Perce," Annabeth stopped him, "c'mon."

"We love you okay," Piper started, "but you've been depressed for more than a month and shirking all of your band responsibilities and it's not cool anymore. So get your clothes on, we're gonna play this gig and then we're gonna find you someone better okay?"

"It's not that easy you guys, you don't know what it's like to have your heart ripped out of your chest then thrown on the ground to be stomped on before having it shoved back in-"

"That's-descriptive..." Annabeth muttered.

"-Okay, it's awful," Percy finished.

"Hey, not true," Piper argued, "I mean Jason and I broke up two years ago and it was awful, you guys know what I went through."

"Okay correction, you broke up with Jason and it was awful cause he _died_ literally four months after the break up when you had already moved on with your life. It was awful four months later," Annabeth corrected Piper.

"Exactly, thank you Annabeth, okay bye."

"Awful either way!" Piper looked at them both incredulously.

"Hold on, Piper's right, you've been shirking your band responsibilities and I get that you're heart broken but that doesn't mean you can just stop living your life and let your heart break take it over. Get dressed you're going to this gig!"

They stood quiet after that, seeing what Percy would choose, if he chose to go back inside so help him god, Annabeth was going to put the p in pain on his ass.

 _"-New York's only source for Indie Rock. And for all of you Where's Fluffy fans out there..."_

Percy, Piper and Annabeth's heads all perked up at that and they all got closer to the van where the radio was on full blast.

 _"For the first time since the last time, looks like Fluffy's to be found somewhere in the five boroughs tonight. The rarest show on Earth is rumored to go on after hours so keep an eye out for those little white rabbits."_

Piper started to squeal excitedly, slapping Annabeth in the arm as the blonde had a smile on her face, a finger to her lips indicating to be quiet.

 _"You never know where they might lead you."_

Piper turned to Percy who was standing right behind the pair, "Fluffy, you can't say no to Fluffy," Piper said as she cupped Percy's face in her hands, her kaleidoscope eyes pleading with Percy.

"Come on Percy," Annabeth sing-songed her to Percy's right side, tugging at his shirt, "it's Fluffy."

"Alright, okay, I'll go," Percy said, giving in as the girls cheered, "but I'm taking my car." Percy finished as he made his way back into his house.

"Put some clothes on!" Annabeth yelled as she got back in the passengers side with Piper starting the car.

"Make sure you look cute!" Piper yelled as she drove off.

* * *

"Oh my god," Will said looking down at his phone.

"What?" Nico asked as he pushed past the blond to get out of the school doors.

"Okay I just got a text from Leo saying _Where's Fluffy_ -" Nico gasped at the name as Will continued to read, "is doing a surprise show in the city tonight!"

"Oh my god!" Nico jumped up from joy, call him a fanboy he didn't care, that band was his favorite band in the entire world.

"Last time they did a show it was at Arlene's so we should start there," Will said as the pair walked down the stairs to leave school grounds.

"Okay wait," Nico paused mid-step, "you have to promise me that you won't get drunk and leave me alone the whole night," he said, glaring at the blond.

"When have I ever done that?" Will asked innocently, making Nico gasp, the blond laughed at Nico's reaction before saying, "I promise I won't get drunk and leave you alone the whole night."

"Thank you," Nico smirked victoriously.

"Will," the blond turned to the voice calling his name and saw Taylor bounding down the stairs, "so did you hear? _Who's Fluffy_ is playing in the city tonight. I love that band."

Nico looked at Taylor and rolled his eyes, "it's-it's _'Where's Fluffy'_."

Taylor looked at the brown eyed boy and widened his eyes while shaking his head, "whatever," he then turned back to Will completely ignoring Nico, "anyways, I'm bringing this guy who's been like, stalking me around the mall for like three months."

Nico would rather stick pins in his ears than hear Taylor talk another word. "Maybe it's your scent?" Will smirked at Taylor.

"Yeah what's that called, 'I Cheat On People' by Calvin Klein?" Nico quipped and Taylor turned icy gray daggers on him.

"Oh good one and what do you wear? 'My Daddy's Famous' by Dior?"

"Alright," Will intervened, "you're both witty."

"I was only kidding," Taylor rolled his eyes, "so sensitive."

Nico looked anywhere but at Taylor before the brown haired boy shrugged his shoulders and left, "okay talk to you later," he called out to Will.

"Bye!" Will yelled back at his retreating form before shaking his head at Taylor's shenanigans.

Nico turned to Will once Taylor was out of ear shot and hissed, "why do you humor him?"

"He's not that bad!" Will defended, "we grew up with him, just don't let him ruin your night." Nico rolled his eyes, his mood already dampening, "Fluffy!" Will started to chant, slowly, trying to cheer Nico up, "Fluffy! Fluffy!"

Soon enough Nico joined in on the chanting as the pair walked home together.

* * *

Percy grabbed his jacket with the name _Jackson_ printed on the left side and put it over his navy blue sweater. It was a mechanic's jacket that his dad had given to him before he died in a car crash and Percy treasured it. It was also his favorite of all jackets. He then grabbed his guitar case and walked out of his house, locking the doors and made his way to his yellow car, a Yugo. Probably one of the worst cars ever made but cheap as hell.

Percy tried to fit his huge guitar case inside his tiny car but one end stuck out. He shoved it back some more and even had to elbow the case to make it fit before getting inside and starting up his car. Well...he tried to start up his car, but it was stalling. Soon enough, the small engine roared to life and Percy switched gears to move forward, hearing the gears give a slight protest at being moved before the tiny car powered down and suddenly started to move backwards.

"Goddamn it," Percy cursed, "come on!" Soon enough, the small car came back to life and it sped down the road, well as fast as it could go which actually wasn't too fast compared to most cars.

* * *

"Alright, cheers!" Will whooped as he started to pour vodka into his red gatorade from a flask he had on him as he and Nico waited for the bus stop. Dressed in a black leather jacket with a gray v-neck and dark blue jeans Will heard a small beep from a passing car and a shout from a creeper saying, "hey baby you look good!"

Will smiled at the creep, already feeling tipsy and shouting back, "no, you look good baby!"

Nico just continued to watch as his friend continued to drink, rolling his eyes because as always Will would end up drunk tonight. The brown eyed boy looked down at his attire hoping he looked good enough, he thought his black skinny jeans were nice but he was wearing a very loose t-shirt and baggy sweater.

...

 _Tonight_

 _Pink Slip_

 _Blue Indigo_

Annabeth ripped a small riff off her guitar as Piper continued to sing.

 _If I take a look, I gotta have that_

Annabeth continued her riff while Percy played his bass guitar looking out towards the crowd. He didn't mean to, but his eyes kept searching for a familiar face he hoped to see.

 _Oh come and catch me if you can_

Soon Piper moved over to Percy and tugged on his hair, the crowd going wild as she did that.

Nico couldn't help himself, he just couldn't get his eyes off of the band's bass player no matter how hard he tried, something about him set Nico's skin on fire.

Percy looked out once more and saw that familiar face of the boy he once called his. Taylor smiled up at Percy and for some reason, hope started to seep in that maybe, just maybe they could work things out. Then Percy saw that Taylor hadn't come alone, he was with someone. With some blond haired guy who had thrown his arm around Taylor as if he owned him.

 _I need your touch_

 _I wanna feel your hands all over me_

 _Come on it let's keep it all hush hush_

 _I wanna feel your energy_

Piper sang as she moved closer to the crowd, hands were reaching out to grab her and touch her, loving her.

Percy couldn't seem to keep his eyes away from Taylor, anger started to slowly seep in. Nico continued to watch Percy until Will came bumping into him, a drink in his hand.

 _"Ow!"_ Will howled getting into the music and feeling the alcohol in his system.

"We are Blue Indigo!" Piper shouted into the microphone, finishing the band's set before getting off the stage.

Percy looked over at Taylor who was whispering into his date's ear before grabbing his hand, moving them back towards the bar. He was lost in thought as he watched them go before being brought back to reality.

"Percy the drum machine," Piper called over her shoulder as she made her way across the room. Percy looked over the machine and pressed a button where it soon started to sound out a different rhythm.

"I-I don't know how to turn this off, there's no off button..." Percy said, mostly to himself as he tapped another button and another sound came on. The crowd started to boo at him and Nico looked around glaring at the crowd.

"You suck!" Some stranger shouted.

Percy turned around briefly to try and quiet the restless crowd as they kept booing at him and shouting for him to turn it off or get off the stage.

"Did your mommy buy that for you?" Someone else taunted.

Annabeth finally came to the rescue and cut the power off by unplugging the machine, "don't listen to these losers," she told Percy before making her way off stage with Percy in tow.

Will finally took notice of Nico staring at Percy as he put his guitar away in his case, "oh my god, you dirty little slut," Will teased.

"What?" Nico looked over at his friend, "what did I-?"

"You're practically blowing him with your eyes," Will laughed.

"I am not! You-cannot do anybody with your eyes Will-"

"Mhm," Will smirked Nico's way.

"Well, I mean you can..." Nico looked away, a blush starting to form on his cheeks, "but whatever he's a complete moe, just look at him." Nico looked back at Percy who had just put his guitar away in his case and was making his way towards the bar, almost reaching where Will and Nico were standing.

Will snorted, "he is _not_ a moe, look at how shitty he's dressed in his Supercuts Haircut," Will laughed, "he's coming."

"I know," Nico hissed, getting closer to Will, who suddenly pushed Nico to the side as soon as Percy was near enough so that Nico could bump into him. Percy felt a small body collide with him and he looked down to see a brown eyed boy with black hair and a blush starting to form on really pale skin. "Sorry," the boy muttered, embarrassed, "I'm really sorry." Any other night Percy would have put him at ease but his nerves were on edge because he saw Taylor come to one of his shows with another guy. So instead Percy just stared the brown eyed boy down as he slowly extricated himself off of Percy and Percy made his way to his band mates.

Nico tucked a strand of hair behind his ear, completely humiliated by what just happened and glared at Will who was so obviously enjoying the show.

"That was really good," Will laughed as he laid his head on Nico's shoulder.

"Well he's bridge-and-tunnel obviously," Nico muttered.

Will lifted his head up and looked at Nico, a small smile on his face, "if he's bridge-and-tunnel than what does that make us?"

Nico rolled his eyes at Will, "that doesn't make us anything Will, you're very drunk. Come on, let's go," Nico made a move to grab Will's elbow when Will dodged and moved away.

"Whatever," he yelled, "you're drunk! Why don't you cut the cord mom?" Will laughed before a group of guys started to pass by them, "hi," Will winked at them before passing on his drink to Nico and walking with the boys to their spot.

Nico rolled his eyes, "god," he mumbled to himself.

"Hi, I've been looking at you guys," Will sat himself in the center of the group of boys, smiling flirtatiously at them, "have you been looking at me?"

Nico shook his head and walked away, hoping for this night to end, since it seemed like it was already turning out to be a bad night.

Percy reached Piper at the bar who was talking to some girl with dark brown eyes and dark brown hair tied in a single braid. She looked like she worked out, and her workout involved kicking ass. As soon as Percy neared Piper and she saw the look on his face, she raised an eyebrow.

"Hey, what's wrong?" Piper asked Percy who merely grunted in response.

Piper rolled her eyes, Percy would say what's bothering him in due time until then, "Perce, ask this beefy girl what her name is for me?"

Percy looked from Piper to the ripped girl at her left side, "what's your name?" He asked.

The strange girl turned to him and smiled, "anything you want it to be."

"She's creepy," Percy whispered to Piper as he turned around, his back leaning against the bar.

"She's harmless, and she's gonna help us find Fluffy" Piper defended, smiling as she took the girl's hand in hers, "hey," Piper leaned in to whisper in her ear, "you've got a rockin' bod y'know."

The strange girl smiled at Piper while whispering something into her ear as well, "okay," Piper squealed in delight before turning to Percy again, "seriously what is up with you?"

Percy turned to his friend, his lips pressed into a thin line, "he's here," he said before looking in the direction Taylor stood with his date.

"I thought you told him not to come to the shows," Piper's eyebrows furrowed, anger seeping through her body. Piper, Annabeth and Percy all had one thing in common, they were very protective of their friends, and right now, Piper was not liking the way Percy was looking at that good for nothing asshole.

"I did, but he came anyway."

Piper looked from Percy to Taylor and back to Percy, "okay do _not_ even think about going over there."

"I mean, I gotta at least say hi, he came all this way just to see me," Percy tried to justify what he was about to do.

"Oh god Percy do not give into temptation," Piper rolled her eyes, "he's so not worth it."

Percy looked on as Taylor continued to flaunt his date in front of Percy's face. He was wearing the shirt Percy had bought for him as an anniversary present back when they were dating. Percy felt pain shoot through him as Taylor started to dance with his date. He thought back to the time he had given Taylor that shirt, how Taylor had tried it on, showing it off to Percy saying how much he loved it. Percy thought about the time Taylor and Percy were play fighting, how Taylor would ask _'who do you belong to?'_ as he tickled Percy. And of course Percy couldn't deny him, of course Percy belonged to Taylor...used to belong to Taylor.

Taylor knew that Percy was watching him, he could feel his eyes on him and he actually felt kinda sad for Percy. Kind of, not really. It wasn't Taylor's fault Percy kept insisting to talk to Taylor or obsess over him, then again he really fucked Percy up when Taylor broke up with him. Taylor's eyes roamed the club before they soon landed on Nico and a devilish smirk appeared on his face.

"Nico," Taylor called out and the brown eyed boy looked to his right where he saw Taylor making his way towards Nico. The brown eyed boy mentally prepared himself for what was sure to be insult after insult with Taylor. "Alone again?" Taylor asked, going for sympathetic despite wanting to laugh right in Nico's face.

"Hey Taylor, been looking for you everywhere," Nico deadpanned.

"This is the one I was telling you about," Taylor turned to his date, "don't you have any friends who'd be into him?"

"Uh, you know what, that's okay, thanks anyway," Nico said, bobbing his head hoping Taylor would just leave him alone.

"Oh well you know," Taylor returned his attention to Nico, "Gary's in college. You could totally have better luck with college guys y'know, that's when it really gets to like how smart a person is. It's not just based off on looks."

"Yeah," Nico agreed, "Gary seems real deep," he took a dig at Gary offering an innocent smile to Taylor who merely narrowed his eyes at Nico.

"But I guess Hades di Angelo's son doesn't need to worry about looks," Taylor smirked Nico's way.

Nico worked his jaw, licking his lips once as he looked Taylor straight in the eye, "uh, I came here with someone actually."

"Really?" Taylor's eyes widened a bit, but not believing Nico in the slightest, "who?"

"My boyfriend," Nico blurted that out and soon regretted it because he had no boyfriend and now humiliation was sure to come, he knew Taylor would never, ever let Nico live this lie down.

"Your boyfriend," Taylor let out a laugh, "well I guess you should be getting back to him then."

"Y-yeah," Nico stuttered, looking at Gary, who was silent throughout the whole exchange and Taylor, "o-okay well I'm gonna go see him now. Bye."

"Bye," Taylor waved goodbye to Nico, trying to keep his laughter in as he watched the poor fool walk off.

Nico walked away from the couple and started to look all over the club for anyone who could possibly help him out of this situation, finally his eyes landed on the bass player from Blue Indigo and Nico's heart started to hammer in his chest as he approached the guy. He was seriously focused on something because even after Nico had squeezed himself in between his band mate and him, he hadn't acknowledged Nico at all.

"Hi," Nico spoke up and soon had the bass player's intense and beautiful sea green eyes trained on him, for a second there, Nico felt completely lost in them and had lost his voice, "uh, I know this is gonna sound weird and I'm a total stranger," Nico surged forward, "but would you be my boyfriend for five minutes?"

Percy looked at the brown eyed boy in front of him and raised an eyebrow, "what?" Percy asked because he must have not heard right, pretend to be his boyfriend for five minutes? What? He looked over at Piper who had a smirk on her face, her eyebrows raised up at the boldness of the new-comer.

Nico didn't answer Percy's question, instead he slung his arm around Percy's left arm and looked back at Taylor, waving at him and pointing to Percy.

Okay, now Taylor for sure couldn't hold back the laughter that seemed to bubble up within him. Nico had to be kidding, _"him?"_ Taylor asked before breaking down laughing.

Nico looked back up at Percy, "okay two questions are you gay or bisexual by any chance?"

"I'm bi," Percy answered slowly, still confused as to what was happening.

"Okay and second question will you be cool with what's about to happen next?" Nico asked.

"With what?" Percy asked, "what's about to happen?"

"Okay just be cool, just be cool, okay," Nico said, more so to the both of them because Nico felt himself start to panic, he started to tug on Percy's sweater, tugging him closer to the brown eyed boy, "just go with it, please?"

Percy didn't have time to question this strange brown eyed boy because soon enough he felt soft lips against his own. Percy, who had his eyes open, looked down at the closed eyes of the ravenette, before closing his own eyes and pressing his lips even more to this stranger. For some reason, Percy's heart gave a small thump as he continued to kiss him. It wasn't long before Taylor stopped laughing as he watched Nico kiss Percy and soon a green monster started to make its way down Taylor's throat. Nico opened his eyes and slowly pulled back, he stared as Percy slowly opened his eyes and looked down on Nico, something inexplicable passed over those sea green eyes of his and that was when Percy noticed the height difference between himself and the brown eyed boy.

He was short, shorter than Taylor, looking to be around 5'5 and lanky, a lot more skinnier than Taylor too. His hair was darker, almost midnight black and his eyes were a really dark brown. He noticed bags under his eyes but to Percy it seemed to give definition to his angular face.

Nico felt his heart hammering in his chest, it felt like it was about to give out, up close he could see Percy was so much more beautiful than what Nico had seen of him. His eyes were just mesmerizing and his skin was tan despite the fact that summer was long gone and it was starting to be October, his black hair was ruffled and messy like he had just rolled out of bed but in a good way. He rocked that bad boy in a band look so good, Nico couldn't help it, he bit his bottom lip and watched as Percy followed the action with his eyes.

"Percy! Nico!" Taylor soon broke them both out of the moment and they turned to him where he was holding hands with his date, "so like how do you two know each other?"

"What?" Percy asked, completely confused as to what was going on meanwhile Piper was watching with interest as she texted Annabeth the details of what was just unfolding.

"We go to the same dentist," Nico answered slowly, looking to Taylor.

Taylor looked back and forth between the two before looking back at Gary, "coolness, well we gotta dip, come on Gary."

Percy looked on as his ex started to leave before yelling, "hey did you get my mixes?"

Nico looked over at Percy, shock written all over his face as the pieces started to fall together, "wait...mixes?"

"How do you know Taylor?" Percy asked, turning back to the stranger who kissed him.

"Are you Taylor's Percy?"

"He told you about me? How do you know him?" Percy asked, hoping for once that luck was on his side and he could finally get answers from this boy who seemingly knew Taylor. Maybe he could help get them back together.

Nico just looked at him, "oh dear god," he said as he briskly walked away from Percy who stood there dumbfounded.

"Um, hello?" Piper said, "go after him," she pushed Percy forward as he started to make his way to the brown eyed boy who's name was apparently Nico.

Will at the current moment was completely oblivious to what had just happened, he was busy sitting in a guy's lap as they made out, sharing a gum between each other before Nico came interrupting the two of them.

"Help, help, help!" Nico struggled to get Will's attention who had started to pull the guy's gum more into his mouth before being pulled apart by Nico, "I just made out with Taylor's sloppy seconds."

"What's the problem now?" Will asked, disentangling himself off the guy and putting the rest of the hanging gum into his mouth.

"The problem is that _this_ ," Nico gestured to his body, "isn't going to compete with perfect, lean and tall _that_ ," Nico gestured towards Taylor, "okay so come on let's go, night is over." Nico moved Will away from the guy but Will hadn't been ready, he had been drinking and so he ended up falling down.

"Ow! I fell," Will complained as he hit the floor.

"I know you fell," Nico said, trying to pick Will up by himself.

"Hey, let me help you with that," Percy said bounding over to Will's right side and started to help Nico pick the blond up.

"I gotta get him home," Nico said to Percy.

"Are you guys from Englewood because I can take you guys back to Englewood if that's where you're going?"

"Do I look like I'm from Englewood?" Nico asked, ignoring Percy's questions.

"I don't know if you're saying you're from Englewood or not," Percy said as he threw Will's arm around his shoulder.

Will laughed as soon as he was upright, "yo that is one super cut you got there dude," he snorted as Percy and Nico slowly started to walk him out of the club.

"Think he's drunk," Percy joked, trying to make things less awkward with the brown eyed boy.

"Oh yeah he is."

"Well I'm parked right out front, I think we can walk him out of here."

"Wait. Stop," Will said, not moving an inch which made Percy and Nico stop as well, Will looked over to Nico with a sad look on his face, "are you mad at me?"

Nico rolled his eyes, "no Will, I'm not mad."

"I'm sorry," Will hung his head in shame.

"It's okay."

He then turned to look at Percy and smiled at him, "hi, hi."

 _"Alright, we are Pink Slip! Thank you for having us tonight!"_

The walk to the car was very bumpy with Will tripping over his feet as Percy and Nico guided him out of the bar as best they could.

"Try to focus on walking," Percy told Will who only smiled in his direction.

Soon Taylor ran up to Percy, making the trio stop short, "hey guys! So look, Percy I need you."

"What?" Percy asked.

"Um, can we uh, get a ride?" Taylor asked, putting on his best smile so that Percy could say yes.

"Who-? We? Is that-? Are you and this guy right here? Is that 'we'?"

"Well..."

"Sorry Taylor," Nico cut in, "the car's full.

Will looked over at Taylor, "you didn't say hi to me earlier are you mad at me?"

Taylor let out a laugh, "I think you should probably take drunkzilla here back to daddy's house right about now and also I was talking to Percy so..."

Nico glared at Taylor, "you know what Taylor, there's no room for you okay? Not tonight." He looked over at Percy who was quiet throughout the whole thing, "come on."

Percy threw one last look at Taylor as he walked with Nico and Will to his car.

"That's cool well I'll catch up with you guys later I mean it's a small car anyways so have fun." Taylor smiled a fake smile as he watched them walk away before feeling Gary trying to tap him on the shoulder, "not now Gary."

* * *

Percy tried to start his car but it continued to stall on him.

 _Come on!_ Percy thought to himself.

"Sorry," he looked over at Nico who was busy looking around the car, "give me a minute," Percy turned the key once more only for it to stall again, "damn it why won't she turn?"

Will was in the back seat trying to sleep until a burp came out of his mouth, "oh god," he whispered to himself, smelling the nasty scent of beer and food mixed together, "eww," he laughed by himself before falling back against the seat. He looked out the window and the lights had never seemed so bright before tonight, Will felt happy and warm and safe.

The car kept stalling and Percy gave up, "I think it's gotta...cool down before I try again."

"A Yugo, huh?"Nico said, feeling the dashboard, "yeah you don't see many of these on the road anymore." Nico smiled softly as he looked around and Percy stared at him, feeling his chest give a small thump.

"Yeah once you buy one, you start to see them everywhere," Percy teased.

"It's small but in mint condition though," Nico observed.

"Yeah this is the result of a lot of time and care," Percy said before trying to start the car again, hearing it stall once more.

There was a knock on the window that made Percy turn to his left and he saw a random guy standing there, "hey are you off-duty?"

"This isn't cab," Percy answered.

"A-are you off-duty?" Came the slurred question once more.

"It's not a cab my friend I promise you," Percy said once more, more forcefully than before.

"Okay don't get mad, jeez," the guy said before leaving them alone.

"I wasn't getting mad," Percy muttered to himself as he continued to try to turn the engine before hearing the familiar and one of a kind beep from Piper's van.

Soon enough, the brown van came to a stop right in front of Percy's car, with three people sitting in the front, Annabeth driving, Piper in the front seat and the braided girl on a small kiddy chair that, once Annabeth hit the brakes on the van, stumbled backwards falling off, taking the chair with her.

"What is that?" Nico asked, not trusting the girls in front of him.

"It's not as ominous as it seems," Percy said.

"I told you they look cute together," Piper giggled as she turned to Annabeth.

"Okay you're right so here's the plan," Annabeth said, not taking her eyes off the future couple, "I'm gonna give Perce a pep talk, braided buff girl you're gonna connect those cables from the van to the Yugo so that we can jump start the car, Piper, clean up the boy please. Make him look hot so that Percy can finally start to notice him, we all know how oblivious Percy can be." Soon enough Annabeth got out of the driver's side as buff girl start to hook up the cables from the van to the car, popping up the hood of the Yugo.

"Perce, I thought you might get stuck, stalled again," Annabeth said as she came to the passenger side of the car, opening up the door, "hey," she looked down to Nico.

"Hey Annabeth, hey...ripped girl with the braid..." Percy greeted them both, he only earned a smirk from the buff girl.

Nico looked into Annabeth's eyes and felt anxious, those gray eyes of hers felt like they were taking Nico apart and analyzing him.

"Hey," Annabeth whispered to Nico, "Piper could really use your assistance in the van, if you please?"

"In the van?" Nico whispered, he looked towards Percy for help and saw Percy urge him on.

"Yes, large vehicle right there, thank you."

"Oh, okay..."

Will noticed Nico leaving and soon started to get up to see if he could follow his friend before the door was slammed closed and Will fell back because of the noise.

Nico made his way towards the inside of the van, picking at his sweater's sleeve in nervousness, "hi," Nico called out.

Piper looked his way, a dazzling smile on her face, "try this," she told Nico as she tossed him a gray shirt. Nico looked down in confusion as he let the shirt fall limp at his hands.

"What?"

"Let's just say we're not the biggest fans of Percy's dreaded ex and we've decided that you're obviously Percy's salvation," Piper said looking through more clothes, "besides we saw you two making out and we think you two might be the cutest ever, and that you might the _one_." Piper winked at Nico, before tossing him a black shirt.

Nico looked down at the shirt in his hands, "we just gotta get you out of those baggy clothes of yours, maybe the sweater can stay if you leave it open," Piper continued as she dug through some more of her clothes.

"This isn't too baggy..." Nico said looking down at his clothes.

"Come on, we're ladies here," Piper smiled before tossing a burgundy shirt Nico's way.

"Are we seriously talking about Taylor right now?" Annabeth groaned in frustration.

"I think this might be my opportunity to get some answers."

"Do _not_ talk to this guy about Taylor Perce, please don't, I mean it," Annabeth complained, "look we'll take the drunk mess home, you kids go and find Fluffy and text us when to meet you there. What could possibly go wrong?"

Nico tried on the shirt and he had to admit it really did make his outfit pop out more. The shirt hugged his body tighter than his other one and you were able to see Nico's lanky frame. Nico turned around to Piper, who was covering her eyes to give Nico privacy, "okay, look, what do you think?"

Piper let out a small laugh, "okay! You look so good! So handsome," Piper reached over and started to fix Nico's hair, "just one more thing." As she worked on his hair Nico stared out the windshield to see the car starting and Percy getting out, putting his jacket over him.

"This isn't gonna work okay," Nico groaned out, "he's hung up on Taylor."

"You look gorgeous," Piper said, finishing up, "and let me tell you something, Perce is definitely worth it, he just needs a little push is all."

Nico looked out the window where he saw Will close the door on Percy's side. Percy looked inside the window at the drunk blond and started to tap on it, trying his handle again but knowing that he was locked out and Will locked himself in. "I gotta get my friend home though."

"We'll do it," Piper offered.

"What?"

"We'll do it, you two find Fluffy and we'll meet you there after taking him home. Go!" Nico and Piper shared a smile.

"Hey, unlock the door please," Percy tapped on his window again hoping to get through Will.

"Hi, hello?" Annabeth tapped as well, "what's his name?" She asked Percy.

"Will."

"Will can you hear me?" Annabeth tapped again, as she saw Will turning around in the backseat, "well aren't you just the sweetest thing," Annabeth giggled, looking over at Percy who was panicking over Will locking himself in.

Will stuck his tongue out as he turned on his side, shushing Percy, Annabeth and buff girl who were tapping on the window and calling out to Will. Well the buff girl was actually banging on the roof of Percy's car with her fists.

"Wake up Will," Annabeth tapped again.

"Please wake up," Percy begged before looking to the buff girl who was still banging her fists on the roof of the car, "please be careful, this is not a toy car."

"Shhhh," Will said, his eyes closed and a finger to his lips, "you just-you just need to be quiet."

Nico got out of the van and looked to Percy and his friends where a small group started to form once realizing that a drunk guy locked out the owner from his car. Nico rolled his eyes as he made his way towards the window, pushing past people to get right near Will's face. He pushed aside buff girl making sure that Will could hear him, "unlock the door dickhead!"

The corner's of Will's lips started to dip down, into a frown, "please don't be mad at me, I'm right here."

"Will just like we practiced, you're gonna go like this," Nico motioned the way to unlock the door so that Will could follow, "go like that."

"I'm right here, you don't have to yell at me," Will said as he reached out for the lock, and with hands that shook a bit, he finally pressed down on the lock to unlock the car door.

"Yes," Nico said as the crowd cheered once the door was open. Nico looked around him as buff girl reached out for Will to take him out of Percy's car, "everybody move along, thank you."

"Alright," buff girl said as she reached for Will, "I gotcha."

"I did it!" Will cheered himself on as he let himself be carried out of the car.

"Come with me, come with me," buff girl cooed, hoping to put Will at ease as she slid Will's body over her shoulders, carrying him in a fireman's carry, "okay I got him." Nico made sure Will didn't bump his head on the door as buff girl lifted herself and Will up.

"Show's over, move along people," Nico continued to shoo some stranglers away, he then turned to buff girl and Annabeth, "if you touch one hair on his head, anywhere, I will kill all of you," he warned.

"Nico I'm being carried," Will cheered, "hah! You look so-" It was in that moment that buff girl had turned around to try to give Nico a thumbs up and Will ended up hitting his head hard against the open door of the van, knocking him out.

"Oh," Nico groaned, feeling the pain for his friend.

"He'll be okay," Percy tried to reassure Nico as Piper and Annabeth looked over him.

"Is he conscious?" Annabeth asked looking over Will.

"God," Piper fanned her face as she saw buff girl lay Will down on the van floor, her biceps bulging out and making her arms look really, _really_ good, "you're ripped as hell hot stuff," she gave buff girl a smirk as she shut the van doors and moved to the passenger side.

"They're-they're not gonna kill him, he'll be okay," Percy said one more time before looking Nico over and noticing he was wearing Piper's burgundy shirt, one of her really _tight_ burgundy shirts, that was really showing off his body. Percy couldn't help but rake his eyes over Nico's chest, doing a once-over before looking Nico in the eyes once more. Nico quirked up an eyebrow.

 _So he definitely noticed you were checking him out, great_ Percy thought to himself as a nervous smile made its way across his face. "Ready to go?" Percy asked trying to break the silence that ensued.

"Yeah," Nico nodded in agreement, making his way to passenger side before sliding in and closing the door. Annabeth beeped once from the van as she started to back out and Percy waved goodbye as he started his car.

"So where do you think Fluffy's gonna be?" Percy asked as they started to peel off down the road.

"Should we try Mercury Lounge?" Nico suggested.

"Yeah, that sounds great," Percy looked over at Nico briefly before going back to looking out the road.

"But Fluffy's not going on till super late though, so I guess we have some time to kill before then," Nico said, sneaking a peek at Percy. "Hey you have a lot of CD's, I didn't think anyone still used CD's anymore." Nico said starting to take notice.

"Oh, yeah well, I mean my car has a lot of cheap, not so great parts, one is the fact that there is no AUX cord in the old radio so I can't connect my phone," Percy explained, "I had to buy an adapter and make do with a CD player. I burned a bunch of CD's and then some, my mom had laying around."

"Cool," Nico said looking over a couple, "do you mind if I put on some music?"

"No, not at all, please," Percy gestured to the CD player that was on top of the dashboard. Music started to play as they drove down the road.

"So..." Percy started.

"Your friends are all gay right?" Nico asked Percy.

"Well not at all my friends," Percy shrugged, answering the question.

"Not all your friends," Nico agreed with Percy, "but the ones in the van are all gay right?"

"Oh Piper and Annabeth, well Annabeth is bi, like me and Piper doesn't really like to label herself, as for buff girl-"

"Buff girl?" Nico asked, interrupting Percy.

"We don't know her name so I just-started calling her buff girl."

Nico let out a laugh, making Percy chuckle, "why?"

"Have you seen her body?! She's ripped as hell, she's got more muscle than me!" Percy laughed alongside Nico.

"Ya know what, I can see it now, she is ripped, god she carried Will over her shoulder like it was nothing!" Nico chuckled.

"See! You agree with me."

"One hundred percent," Nico let out the last of his laughs, settling down in his seat.

"Hey do you uh, wanna get a drink somewhere?" Percy asked, looking over at Nico briefly, and for some strange reason his heart started to beat faster, Percy was nervous of what Nico would say but he wasn't understanding why he was feeling that way.

"Yeah," Nico smiled over at him, "sure."

"Cool, I know a great place," Percy said turning a corner.

"Yo! Yo!" A stranger called out, running towards Percy's still moving car, forcing Percy to hit the brakes fast so that he wouldn't run him over.

"Oh my god," Nico gasped.

The guy slammed into Percy's hood, slapping his hand against it, "taxi! Yes!" He went over to Percy's side and opened the door, "hey."

"Uh, hi?" Percy said.

"Bowery Ballroom," he said before shoving Percy's seat up against the steering wheel and making his way inside the small car.

"I'm not a cab sir," Percy said, protesting as he was shoved against his steering wheel making the horn sound as the guy and his girlfriend squeezed inside, "I said I'm not a cab."

The guy kissed his girlfriend, "it's so good to be alone," he said as he continued kissing her.

"Finally," she said, agreeing with him.

Percy looked to Nico, feeling embarrassed at being shoved up against his windshield basically because of how small his car was, "Bowery Ballroom?" He asked, hoping Nico would say yes.

Nico nodded his head, "sure."

"Oh god yeah that's what I'm talking about," the guy half moaned as he lifted his partner's leg to try and wrap it around his body.

"Yeah, you like when I do that?" The girl asked.

"Yeah, you do that, keep doing that."

As the pair drove down the road, they both kept hearing the moaning coming from the strangers in the back seat.

"So are you from Englewood?" Percy asked, trying to make conversation, it was really awkward right now, the moment he had shared with Nico was gone.

"Mm, mhm, yeah," Nico answered him.

Percy sucked at his teeth, "Englewood up to no good," he teased.

Nico chuckled lowly, "you?"

"I'm from New York but I lived in Hoboken for about six months while my mom wrote her book."

"Hoboken no jokin'," Nico joked back, and Percy smiled over at him, "your mom's a writer?"

"Yeah, she's finalizing her draft for her book, she's been working on it for three years now."

"Wow, congrats to your mom, hope it sells well, do you have any idea what's it about?"

"Yeah," Percy answered, "my mom's told me the summary, I don't really read."

"Why not?"

"I've got dyslexia, pretty badly, so reading is a big turn off for me."

"Oh okay," Nico said, "I love to read, once your mom publishes, let me know so I can read her book and then rave about it to anyone who'd listen to me."

"What happens if you don't like it?" Percy asked, his smile growing wider.

"Then I'll lie."

"You'd lie for my mom that easily?"

"Yep," Nico smirked Percy's way. There was something about that smirk that had Percy's cheeks growing hot.

"I love you," the guy stopped kissing his girlfriend long enough to say that.

"I love you," she repeated back to him.

"I love you so much I'd sell my left nut for you."

"Really?"

"Yeah," the guy said before swallowing her mouth whole with his, as if trying to suck her tonsils out.

Percy looked at them in the rear view mirror, "so are you going off to college?" He asked Nico, trying to steer the conversation back on track.

"Mm, I don't know," Nico started before realizing the girls foot was slowly starting to poke him in the shoulder, "I got into-" Nico pushed the girl's foot back, "into Brown but I have this job lined up here which is...making my decision difficult. And I have to make up my mind fast because they're only holding my spot at Brown until tomorrow."

"Wow," Percy said, "I'm going to Berklee School of Music...in Boston."

"That's awesome," Nico smiled over at Percy, "really, really awesome."

"Y'know if you went to Brown, we'd only be an hour away."

"Yes," Nico nodded his head in agreement.

"Ow!" The girl hissed, "cramp! Cramp, cramp," she said as her hand slid over the driver's seat and into Percy's hair gripping it as she cramped up before releasing it as soon as her boyfriend moved her leg that was stuck at an odd angle.

"Okay," Percy said, coming to a stop in front of a club, "last stop, get out."

"Okay what do I owe you?" The guy asked taking out his wallet.

"It's uh, $10," Percy said looking over his shoulder at the guy.

"There you go man," the guy handed Percy a ten dollar bill before shoving Nico's seat, smushing him up against the windshield as he made his way out.

"Thanks for the ride," the girl said before also exiting the car, squishing Nico up against the windshield even more.

"Ow," Nico muttered, putting his hands up against the windshield to keep his face from fully touching it, "ow, ow, ow."

"Cherish one another folks," Percy said as they closed Nico's door and walked into the club right in front of Percy's car. Nico's seat was pushed back and he sighed in relief.

"I uh, charged a little extra for the clean up," Percy joked looking over to his backseat to make sure it wasn't too messy, "that's gonna be fun."

Nico gave a small chuckle, "oh, yeah."

"Thanks for uh, sticking that out with me," Percy said, looking over at Nico.

"No problem."

And maybe it was the fact that Percy had asked Nico out for a drink, or the fact that they had kissed but for some reason he couldn't help the smile that came across his face as he and Nico stared into each other's eyes. For some reason, neither of them could look away. Percy's heart to started to thump in his chest and his palms were getting sweaty the more he continued to stare into Nico's eyes. They weren't like Taylor's gray eyes, Nico's eyes were a deep, dark brown, you didn't know where the pupil began or where it ended. They seemed never-ending, like Percy could dive in deep and never be able to get out.

 _"So that's it Taylor-"_

Percy's head snapped forward where his own voice could be heard coming out from the CD player. His hand flew towards it and he tried to eject the CD as fast as possible but it had been too late. They had both heard what Percy had recorded.

 _"That's the breakup mix, ten songs from my broken-"_

The moment had been ruined.

"That's-that's not-" Percy struggled to form a sentence that would cover how utterly humiliating he felt in that moment but words failed him, "not even real..."

Nico cleared his throat while pushing his hair away from his face but didn't say anything. Percy scratched his cheek, trying to will his heart to calm down.

"Can we go straight to laughing about this?" Percy asked, praying to God that this awkwardness would go away soon.

"I have to pee," Nico said looking Percy over before opening the car door.

"Okay," Percy said slowly, "go pee."

Nico got out and walked towards the club right out front. Percy watched as he walked right up to security and what seemed to be the club's manager outside. The security guard nodded his head towards Nico in greeting while the blonde manager welcomed Nico as if he came by all the time. Nico walked right in without a hassle and without having to wait. Which pissed off the other people waiting in line.

 _Weird..._ Percy thought to himself. He shook his head and unbuckled his seat belt, grabbing a bottle of Febreze from the back of the passenger seat, he started to spray his backseats.

Nico made his way into the men's bathroom, his phone near his ear as he tried to get his blond friend on the line.

"Pick up Will," Nico muttered to himself and as he looked at himself in the mirror, "come on, pick up the phone." He moved away from the mirror, getting inside one of the bathroom stalls and leaning against one of the stalls' walls.

* * *

Will's phone started to vibrate in his pants pocket, slowly waking the blond up from sleep. Blue eyes opened up and soon started to take stock of his surroundings.

"No Piper, I am done arguing about our band's name, I like it," Annabeth told Piper, shaking her head at the brown headed girl.

Heavy metal music was playing in the background and Will looked to his left to see three girls sitting in the front. Well one was in a kiddy chair but still, three girls against one guy, the odds were not in Will's favor. He briefly wondered where Nico was, the blond was slowly starting to panic. And what was that about taking someone up into the mountains. They didn't mean Will right? Will wasn't going to the mountains, he didn't _belong_ there. Will hated the mountains! Granted he'd never _been_ on a mountain before.

"What about The Kids?" Piper suggested.

"What _about_ The Kids?" Annabeth asked.

"Well we _are_ The Kids!"

"Oh really? What like Kids Next Door?" Annabeth shot down the new name quickly, "no we're sticking to Blue Indigo and that's it. Besides I like the name."

"Oh come on!" Piper whined, "you only like it because MJ suggested we use it but we can't."

"Why not?"

"Because that was her old band's name from when she was in high school, we can't use another band's name for ours, that's like stealing and so totally unoriginal."

"MJ said we could use it, her band broke up after graduating last year, they all went their separate ways, I mean Mason didn't even want to do the band thing long term-"

"Not the point, our name isn't original!"

"Whatever happened to FlowerFunk?" Annabeth asked, "I really liked FlowerFunk."

"What about the Tight ends," Piper joked, teasing Annabeth with a gag name, "going balls deep."

 _Going balls deep?!_ Will thought to himself, starting to go into panic mode, _taking me to the mountains to go balls deep?_

"You're so stupid," Annabeth giggled, turning a corner before stopping at a parking space.

Will felt the van lurch forward, making a jarring stop.

"Alright let's get some food before we go to NJ," Annabeth said turning off the heavy metal music, a ringing was felt in Will's ears as the music was stopped.

"Yes, I'm starving," Buff girl said as she climbed out of the kiddy seat, past the passenger seat and stretched once outside.

"I got it," Piper said grabbing her sweater from her seat, "what about The Chitals?"

"What like deers?" Annabeth asked, closing her door, "you wanna name our band after deers?"

"It sounds cute," Piper defended, closing her own door.

"I like it," Buff girl said, a bit muffled through the window.

"Thanks hot stuff," Piper said slinking her arm around Buff girl's arm.

Will listened closely as the girls who held him hostage started to go away. The blond started to get up, feeling his surroundings for a way to escape. Like hell they were taking him to the mountains to go balls deep. Where the hell was Nico? Nico would never abandon Will like this which meant something must have happened. Well, Will was gonna escape and then find Nico and put this horrible night behind him. Finally, his fingers brushed against a handle and Will jerked it the back of the van door open where the blond proceeded to jump out before sprinting away from the van.

"Nico! Nico! Nico!" The blond yelled, fully panicked, before turning a corner and disappearing into the night.

* * *

Nico gave up on calling Will for the third time, pocketing his phone, he held his head in his hands.

What was he doing right now? Was Nico seriously trying to hook up with Taylor's sloppy seconds? Nico shook his head. He couldn't compete with Taylor, not at all. Taylor was really good looking even if Nico hated to admit that since he was such a huge dick. He was a major good looking dick. Nico snorted to himself. Then there was Percy and Nico didn't know how to feel about him exactly.

Percy was extremely good looking, like _extremely._ But he also tended to put his foot in his mouth and say the most absurd things. He was also sweet...a small voice whispered into Nico's ear. Despite the fact that Percy could be very sweet and being extremely handsome, Percy was also extremely hung up on his ex and well...Nico knew very well he couldn't compete with that.

Nico lifted his head from his hands and looked straight ahead. He didn't know how to feel about the whole thing. There was no way Percy could ever even be interested in Nico. Not after having been with Taylor, the dude clearly had a type. It just didn't happen. The sooner Nico could get back into reality, the better.

And then he saw it. One pink rabbit.

With question marks around it. Brown eyes followed before landing on another rabbit, red, also with question marks surrounding it. Then another pink one, then one more, then one more red one all leading up to some red writing on the stall.

 _FIND FLUFFY AT BK POOL 2NITE?_

"Oh my god," Nico said slowly. _A clue!_

Soon enough, the brown eyed boy made his way out of the club as fast as he could, on his way out he searched for Percy but couldn't see him near his car.

"Hey," Percy called out to Nico, standing near a corner store.

"You are not gonna believe this!"

"What?" Percy asked as he felt himself get tugged to his car by Nico.

"I got a Where's Fluffy clue!"

"No way!" Percy said, astonishment filling his voice, "no way, no way!"

"Can we talk about how cool Fluffy is?" Nico asked as Percy started the car before speeding off down the road.

"They're my favorite band in the world," Percy smiled over at Nico.

"They're my favorite band in the world!"

"You don't understand," Percy agreed, "I've gotten so many people into that band."

"Me too," Nico said.

"You know I had a bootleg of _Black Carnage_ probably before anyone else ever heard it," Percy said, and Nico couldn't help the smirk that came over him when he heard that, "I was probably the first person to ever hear that song outside of the band."

"Okay," Nico said, a hint of sarcasm in his voice.

"No, no I'm being for real," Percy said.

"Sure," Nico nodded along.

"We went to go see them at the uh, _Elbow Room_ ," Percy continued.

"Yes?"

"And it was a total bait and switch," Percy finished, " _Are You Randy_ showed up instead."

"Ugh, that literally makes me want to die."

"Yeah I hate those guys," Percy agreed, "I was the one that got him into Where's Fluffy."

Nico's smile slowly slid off his face as soon as he heard that.

"It was me," Percy continued, oblivious to Nico's mood dropping, "he'd never even heard of them until I put one of their songs on one time." Nico couldn't help but roll his eyes, they were back on the topic of Taylor. "Taylor, I'm talking about Taylor," Percy said looking over at Nico, who's smile was completely gone and instead a scowl was beginning to form.

"Is that right?" Nico asked sarcastically.

"How well d-do you guys know each other? Do you guys go to the same school or something?" Percy asked, hoping he wasn't sounding as nervous as he felt, he knew he shouldn't be talking about Taylor, especially to Nico but he couldn't help himself, "do you guys talk a lot? Talk about-maybe his new boyfriend?"

"Wow, I cannot believe Taylor dated someone like you, that's-astounding," Nico quipped.

"Someone like me?" Percy asked, "what's that-what's that supposed to mean?"

Nico scoffed, "can I just ask what is it that you see in that dude? Like seriously, the guy is a major dick."

Percy's eyes widened slightly, his jaw worked, "this is your friend that we're talking about?"

"Trust me, we're not friends."

"If you weren't friends, why would you freak out over kissing me, asking if I was Taylor's Percy?" Percy questioned.

"Okay, alright I'm the bad guy, is this what we're doing now?" Nico glared over at Percy, "I'm the one in the wrong?"

"If you really wanna know, Taylor supported our music and our band when nobody else did, not that that's any of your business."

"If it's none of my business then why the hell did you tell me? Had to defend your beloved's honor?" Nico threw a dig

"Beloved? That's-"

"Oh sorry, ex-beloved."

"That was low."

"Okay that's it," Nico scoffed, "I can't do this."

"Can't do what?" Percy asked, getting angry.

"Just make a U-turn, take me back to Ludlow, I'll find my own way."

"Perfect," Percy said sarcastically.

"I refuse to be the goodie bag at your pity party Percy."

"You don't have to yell-"

"Who's yelling?" Nico asked incredulously.

"-It's not a train station, we're in a small car. Who's yelling? You are."

Nico clenched his fist, "just drop me off."

"I will!" Percy said, getting fed up before grabbing the steering wheel and making an illegal U-turn where he received a few honks.

"Oh my god," Nico shouted, grabbing onto the handle on the car's roof. Percy jerked the car to a stop, his wheels burning rubber. Nico immediately got out of the vehicle, Percy doing the same. They stood on opposite sides of each other, looking at the each other across the top of Percy's car.

"Are you crazy?" Nico asked.

"I don't know what I did to you to make you so angry?"

"Nothing," Nico said before closing his eyes and trying to calm himself down, "you're just ridiculous."

"You don't even know me!" Percy defended himself.

"Oh please, I know you," Nico scoffed, "I know your make."

"My make?"

"You're an emo-punk-band boy obsessed with Taylor. They could make action figures out of you, drummer not included."

"You know it's funny Taylor never mentioned you despite the fact that you're such great friends-"

"Not great friends," Nico interrupted.

"-But he did mention some frigid, jealous, snooty Italian that was completely jealous of him-"

"Oh jealous? _Really?_ " Nico asked, looking livid and making a move towards Percy.

"-and who was a complete asshole. So now, I think I know who he was referring to," Percy spat.

"Let's go douche bag," Nico said.

"Alright tough guy, you think you have-" Percy couldn't finish because it was in that moment that Nico grabbed Percy by the front of his jacket and hit him in the throat with his fist.

"I am not jealous!" Nico yelled before walking away.

Percy felt the wind knocked out him. Literally. His eyes started to water and he couldn't breathe properly after that hit.

"Oh nah man, he's not jealous," said a random on a bike passing them by.

Perfect. This was just fucking great. Percy coughed, trying to clear his sore throat, he felt the eyes of complete strangers on him as he tried to recover from Nico's blow. Soon enough his phone started to vibrate. Percy looked down to see Piper calling.

"Awesome. Awesome night," Percy said sarcastically as soon as he picked up the call.

 _"So how's it going?"_ Came Piper's flirty voice.

"It was great until he choked me out."

 _"Oooh kinky!"_

"What's up with you guys?"

 _"Well everything's fine here Perce, just peachy!"_ Piper bit out, _"it's just we sort of, kind of, lost the guy."_

"What guy?" Percy asked.

 _"You know, the guy."_

Realization dawned on Percy, "what?"

 _"Yeah, well, we came to Gray's Papaya to grab a bite to eat and he must've woken up cause he bolted."_

"Piper," Percy sighed, raking his hands over his hair, "that's not acceptable."

 _"I know,"_ Piper agreed, _"so the shitbox stall again? You want us to go pick you up?"_

"Piper, you have to find him," Percy said, a little forceful.

 _"We already looked everywhere Perce, he's gone,"_ Piper whined. All Percy could think about was Nico in that moment despite the fact that shorty choked him out, that was still his friend. His very drunk friend. His very drunk friend that was lost. He saw as the shorter boy held his phone up to his ear, his arm sticking out for a taxi cab to stop by and pick him up. _"I say-time to cut our losses and go find Fluffy."_ Piper continued.

Percy shook his head, "gotta go."

 _"Wait Percy-"_

Percy walked over to where Nico was, still trying to get a cab, talking to someone on the phone.

"Hey Alex, it's me, where are you?" Nico asked the person on the other end.

Percy tapped Nico on the shoulder, making the brown eyed boy turn around, "hey," Percy said, looking guilty.

 _"Nico?"_ A voice was heard from Nico's phone.

"They lost Will," Percy said.

"What?"

"I'm sorry."

* * *

A brown van pulled up right in front of the pair and soon enough, the side doors of the van opened up and Nico and Percy were greeted with three bright flashlights being shone in their faces.

"You kids been drinking?" Piper questioned jokingly.

"No," Percy and Nico answered at the same time, Percy still rubbing at his sore throat. Nico had really gotten him good.

"Why not?" Annabeth asked.

"We're having a search party!" Buff girl said.

"Search party!" Piper yelled.

Nico rolled his eyes as he followed Percy in and Piper and Buff girl adjusted themselves in the front.

"Search party," Annabeth teased.

"Party, party!" Buff girl continued.

"Search par-ty NYC, search par-ty NYC," Piper chanted, "Will where the hell could you be?!"

The van peeled off into the night, with the group shouting Will's name into the air, hoping to find the missing blond as quickly as possible. Despite his friend being missing and of course being worried, Nico couldn't help but have fun with the three girls, Percy somewhat included.

"Guys, we need to be adults about this," Annabeth told them.

* * *

"I don't have eleven dollars right now."

"How much do you have?" Asked the Port Authority employee to the still tipsy Will Solace, who somehow found himself in the bus terminal, trying to get back home. How he got himself there, he didn't know.

"Total?"

"Yeah."

Will took out all the change from his pockets and began to count the cents, there was also old candy wrappers in between them, he counted as best he could in his state before looking back at the employee with a smile, a smile only a tipsy person would give, "one dollar."

"One dollar won't get you to Newark," said the worker.

"Oh," Will shook his head, "no, I didn't say I wanted to go to-Newark," Will paused, before letting out a sneeze so strong, his gum shot out of his mouth and landed on the glass panel of where the Port Authority employee was thankfully, behind it. Spit could be seen sticking to it as well as the gum and because it was in such close proximity, some of it sprayed back in Will's face. The blond ran a hand across his face before laughing in the disgusted worker's face, "sorry but that's so funny," Will said, pointing to gum and the fact that it landed on the glass panel.

He quickly reached for it, still laughing and put it back in his mouth, leaving the employee even more disgusted than before, "okay, I'm just gonna tell you something," the blond continued as if nothing had happened, "I was kidnapped tonight. Seriously, in this van with these girls talking about going balls deep."

The employee could only shake his head, "sounds like fun right?" Will continued, "not always. It was scary-" soon enough the worker had enough and he let his curtains fall over all of the glass panel, effectively ending their conversation. "Come on!" Will whined. He looked around and saw a bunch of seats off to the side.

Will decided to go have a seat, his feet were killing him.

* * *

"I just think Blue Indigo isn't hardcore enough," Piper complained to Annabeth for the billionth time about their band's name.

"Piper we are a three person band with no drummer, we already aren't hardcore enough," Annabeth rolled her eyes, "and for the last time we are not calling ourselves The Chitals, that's not even hardcore! Blue Indigo is more hardcore than that! This is final," Annabeth continued, "I want my stepmother to have the possibility of at least seeing one of our shows."

"Yeah well I'm a third of this group too!" Piper whined, "if not more Annabeth."

"How are you more?" Annabeth asked, flicking her gray eyes over to Piper briefly.

"I'm the lead _singer_ , duh?"

Annabeth took a sharp right and Nico was thrown up against the drum-set the girls were carrying.

"Ow!"

"Whoa," Percy looked over at Nico, steadying him a bit, "you alright?"

"I can't believe I'm missing Where's Fluffy for this?" Nico complained.

Annabeth hit the brakes suddenly, earning a honk from behind a car who had to swerve to avoid hitting them. All three girls looked back at Nico, "Where's Fluffy? Where?" The blonde asked.

"Well supposedly at Brooklyn Pool," Percy answered, receiving a gasp from the Annabeth and Piper, "now we can't go because you somehow managed to lose an entire person and we've gotta find him."

"Thank you," Nico agreed with Percy.

"Oh come on," Piper said.

"No Piper," Percy said, rolling his eyes.

"Okay, hear me out," said the tan skinned girl, looking over her shoulder at the two boys in the back, "he's probably there right? I mean the dude likes to party, so I say we do a drive-by."

"UM!" Nico said before blowing a raspberry, "absolutely not, no drive-by," Piper rolled her eyes before settling back into her seat, "look the sooner we find Will, the sooner we can find Fluffy, the sooner this night can be over..."

"Okay," Annabeth said, turning the car over and at the same time feeling a little stupid, she couldn't believe the stunt she had pulled just now, stopping the van in the middle of the road, someone could have hit them. She shook her head, no more getting distracted, she was going to be the careful driver she always was. As she started to pull forward, the van jerked Nico and Percy backwards, and in Nico's case, slammed him against the unused drum-set the band carried, once more.

"Ow!" Nico yelled, he looked behind him getting fed up with slamming into the drum-set again, "you know," the brown eyed boy began, reaching for a drum, picking it up and then dropping it angrily in front of him, "if you don't have a drummer, then why do you have drums, you fistful of assholes?"

Piper looked back at Nico before looking towards Annabeth, smirking, "Fistful of Assholes!"

"No," replied the blonde, not even sparing Piper a glance.

"That's it, that's our new band name!" Piper continued as Buff girl laughed at the name.

"No!" Annabeth yelled again, "we are not naming our band Fistful of Assholes."

* * *

When Will reached one of the seating areas, he came across a chef that looked to be heading home for the night. Will approached him, settling down next to him and in his tipsy state, he was oblivious to the fact that he had made the strange man uncomfortable.

Will smiled at him, "hi, I'm Will. What's your name?"

There was a beat of silence, the chef looked away from Will, clearing his throat, and didn't answer the blond. Will shook his head, his eyes watering because why was everyone being mean to him and where the hell was Nico? "You know that's okay, you don't have to tell me."

"It's been like one of those nights, y'know," the blond continued, and the stranger did nothing but listen even if he was avoiding eye contact, "I was with my friend Nico, who you don't know but if you did, you would totally like him because everyone likes Nico-" the blond's blue eyes continued to water slightly as he talked about his best friend, "-and he left me tonight, which, you know, he never does that. And then I was kidnapped by these girls in this van. And then he-usually when we go home together, he makes me a turkey sandwich right? He makes a turkey sandwich when I get home but I might never get home," the blond sniffled, and it was at that point that the stranger looked over at Will feeling a bit of pity before looking down at the container of food on his lap, "and I'm so tired."

The blond finally took notice of the food on the stranger's lap and noticed it was a sandwich with pickles on the side, Will breathed in a shaky breath, he grabbed onto the strange man's arm before asking, "is that a turkey sandwich?"

The man just shook his head, looking uncomfortable again at where the situation was heading, the blond smiled at him, making the stranger smile back because he definitely knew where this was heading, "it is?" Will asked and the stranger exhaled because he was admitting defeat at being able to eat in peace, he opened his container back up and looked down before offering a half of his sandwich to Will.

Will was bubbling with joy and he quickly took out the gum from his mouth before noticing he had nowhere to put it, he looked over the kind man, in Will's eyes who was offering him a sandwich, and asked, "can you hold this for me?" The man looked over at the gum in the blond's hand and immediately regretted his decision to be nice to him, he hesitated for a second before thinking it was too late to turn back now, so he grabbed the gum from the tipsy blond, disgust making its way down his throat.

"Thank you so much," Will sighed in relief as the gum was taken out his hands, he looked down to the perfect and beautiful sandwiches before picking one half up, "hi," Will giggled as he brought his half of the sandwich close to his face. Meanwhile the man was currently trying to put the blond's chewed gum on the other side of the container, to get it off of his hands as quickly as he could. One whiff of the sandwich had Will's stomach grumbling and not in a good way.

When you were as drunk as Will had been, blacking out for a moment as Will had done before coming to, all without having even a drop of water, there was bound to be some protest sooner or later from your body. Usually it would be the next morning where the taste of the alcohol you drank the night before would be tasted yet again in the morning and smelt on the inside of either the toilet bowl or trash can next to your bed.

Will tried to go for another bite but his stomach grumbled once more, in that foreboding way that meant something was about to happen to the blond, that he absolutely hated, a burp soon escaped his mouth and there was definitely no mistaking it. Will gagged, twice before putting the sandwich back down and looking to grab his jacket. "I gotta-" the blond stood up, burping once more and trying to hold back the vomit rising at the back of his throat, as the stranger leaned away, noticing the drunk blond's dilemma, "I gotta...go, I just need my gum," the blond said as he reached out for his discarded gum on the side of the container and putting it back in his mouth.

Will rushed into the nearest bathroom, quickly opened up a stall and vomited all over the toilet, Will gagged, taking a sharp breath as another wave came over him, making him vomit once again. It felt like he was dumping all of his insides out, his eyes started to water and his nose burned as some of the vomit exited through his nostrils. "UGH!" Will cried out, he always hated throwing up, tears started to slowly streak down his face, where was Nico? The brown eyed boy usually held his hair back and rubbed at Will's back whenever this happened, telling him to breath. That it was all going to be over soon and that he would feel better once it was out of his system. He really missed Nico.

* * *

The brown van quickly pulled up right in front of Port Authority, Annabeth leaving the blinkers on, to signal that they were paused there and not parked so as not to get towed away or get a parking ticket. The group quickly walked into the huge bus terminal, seeing as how it took up a whole block of Manhattan, with Nico leading the way. They walked past the closed Information Desk, and onto the time schedules for the buses.

"Okay Englewood," Percy said as they all looked over the electronic board off to the left side of the information desk, "well it says here the last bus to Englewood left seven minutes ago."

"You see he's fine," Piper said, ready to turn back towards the van, "let''s go."

"No, just because there was a last bus doesn't mean he was _on_ the last bus," Nico said.

"Damn you and your logic," Piper muttered as Buff girl came to give her a hug for trying.

"Makes sense," Annabeth commented.

"I'm trying him again," Nico said as he got his phone out and started to call Will.

Will had just finished vomiting when his phone started to ring, he inhaled a huge breath of air, shuddering in the process because for a moment while throwing up, he couldn't get himself to breath properly. His phone continued to ring, and Will searched his leather jacket for it, "I'll get it," he said to himself because there was no one else in the bathroom.

 _Nico_

Was flashing on his screen and Will sighed in relief as he swiped to pick up the call.

 _"Will?"_ Nico said on the other side.

"Nico! I-" Will answered before his phone slipped out of his hands and down the floor, skidding across it, just barely missing the inside of the vomit ridden toilet, "Nico I dropped my phone," Will cried out, and in the process dropping his gum inside the toilet, "no!"

 _"Will!"_ Nico asked once more but it was in that moment that the cleaning guy came in to clean the bathroom, and music was blaring from his tiny radio.

"Nico," Will whined sadly, "help me," the blond still hadn't picked up his discarded phone making it even harder to hear, "I dropped my gum!" Will complained looking on in disgust, before steeling his resolve.

 _"Where are you?"_ Nico asked, trying to get his friend to focus.

"Nico!" Will complained as he dunked his hand into the toilet bowl, reaching out through the murk of his vomit for his gum, "Nico..." finally the blond felt his gum and quickly took his hand out of the toilet bowl, "Nico where are you?"

 _"Will, can you hear me?"_ Nico asked, _"tell me where you are?"_

The music made it impossible for Will to hear Nico and soon enough, once the blond had his phone in his hands, he accidentally ended the call.

"Shit!" Nico growled in frustration at having the call get cut off.

"Where is he?" Percy asked.

"I don't know where he is, I couldn't hear him over the music," Nico said pocketing his phone in defeat.

"Music? What music?" Annabeth asked Nico.

"He's at Brooklyn Pool," Piper said, clapping her hands, "he's probably looking for you!"

"In Brooklyn?" Nico deadpanned.

"Let's go," Piper said, high-fiving Buff girl and Annabeth before turning around and trying to lead the way back to the van. Until she was pulled back from the her hoodie by Buff girl, "what gives hot stuff?" Piper asked and Buff girl merely shook her head before nudging it towards Nico.

"To Brooklyn?" Nico said hesitantly. He looked over the group, Percy had his hands in his pockets, his face void of anything so as not to sway Nico's decision, while Annabeth and Piper looked at him expectantly. "Fine, let's go to Brooklyn."

"Whoo!" Piper whooped as Buff girl let go of her hoodie before putting her arm around Piper's shoulder, the pair lead the way back to the van, Nico following closely behind, Percy trailing after him and Annabeth bringing up the rear before she gave Percy a playful shove while at the same time pulling his hoodie over his head. The group just barely missing Will as the blond started to exit the bathroom of Port Authority.

After the call, Will had put the vomit ridden gum back in his mouth before going over to the sinks and washing his face, rinsing out his mouth and nose, cleaning his phone and finally drying off his face.

Slowly but surely, the blond was sobering up. And he still missed Nico.

* * *

The group reached Brooklyn Pool, finding parking right near the club and exiting the van. Nico lead the way to the club, the girls and Percy following closely behind.

"This is awesome!" Piper exclaimed, as she reached the end of the line to get inside the club.

"This is ridiculous," Nico said, passing by it as the group stared after him in confusion before quickly following him to the front, "okay what are we supposed to do if he's not here?" Nico asked glancing back, "when he's not here because he's not, obviously." Nico walked up to the bouncer of the club, "hello, how ya doing?" He asked as the bouncer stepped aside to let him in, Nico looked to the group, who all had varying degrees of shocked looks on their faces, "okay everybody pile in," Nico gestured for the group to enter and quickly, "let's go."

"Really?" Annabeth asked as she slowly made her way to the front, "are you sure?"

"Yep, go in," the bouncer said as Annabeth passed him, then Piper and then Buff girl.

 _"Are you being serious?"_ Came the indignant cry from one of the people on line.

 _"We've been waiting here for hours!"_

Percy looked around him at the hateful glares being thrown their way, before slowly following Nico inside.

The line moved up and some of the people tried to get in before the bouncer intervened, "no," he said.

"I've been here for over an hour!" Said a random girl in line.

The group slowly made their way in, with Percy catching up to Nico.

"Hey," Percy said.

"Hey," Nico replied, looking back at him.

"Hey were you like, on YouTube or something?" Percy asked.

"What?" Nico asked, chuckling a bit.

"Who are you?" Percy asked.

"I'm Nico," Nico answered slowly, "I'm no one, I'm just the son of someone," Nico said, running his fingers through his hair.

"Son of who?"

"My dad," Nico said, smiling, "I'm gonna go find Will, okay?"

"Yeah, good luck," Percy smiled at the brown eyed boy before a song came on, which Percy recognized instantly. It was one of his favorites. He looked over at Nico who had paused, hearing the song come out, "hey that's my song," Percy said, getting closer to Nico.

"Really?" Nico asked, looking up at the sea green eyed boy, "that's my song kind of, that's cool..."

"You dance?" Percy blurted out, and he had no idea what came over him because not too long ago, they had gotten into a fight and Nico had choked him out, but despite that, Percy couldn't help it. He was starting to find the brown eyed boy cute in some way. "Can we dance like this?" Percy asked gesturing toward Nico. Percy started to shake his hands up down his body without ever touching it, Nico laughed trying to mimic Percy.

"What like this?" Nico asked, his smile growing wider.

"Yeah this is-when they wrote this song, the band was hoping people would dance like this to it," Percy smiling with Nico.

Piper started to grind up against Buff girl, who had her hands on Piper's hips, pulling the girl closer.

"Okay go like this," Percy told Nico, holding up his hands in front of the brown eyed boy, while Nico did the same as Percy except he thought they were supposed to clap hands, "no," Percy shook his head smiling, "you're supposed to actually try and get as close to my hands as possible without ever touching them." Percy said as he moved his left hand forward and his right hand backward, making Nico do the opposite so as not to touch hands.

"This is a very good dance, Percy," Nico said laughing.

"It's the pedal boat," Percy said, before switching it up and making his right hand go up while his left hand went down, again, making Nico do the opposite. "Do you know the blow dryer?" Percy asked, getting just a little bit closer. Nico shook his head, biting his bottom lip at the proximity. Percy reached out with his hands and suddenly ran his fingers through Nico's hair, messing it up and making Nico laugh even more.

Nico fixed up his hair and tried to do it to Percy but found that because his hair was shorter than Nico's it didn't work.

"No it doesn't work on me," Percy said, smiling even wider.

"No," Nico shook his head agreeing, "wow your hair is soft."

"Thanks, I asked for the uh, Ellen DeGeneres haircut," Percy joked and Nico giggled at that.

A balloon was soon popped near them and soon enough, the three girls surrounded the two boys, dancing around them in a way that made Percy and Nico get closer to each other.

"Hey boys," Piper said, winking.

"Oh hey," Nico said, "dance-wich.."

Nico couldn't help the blush that was spreading on his cheeks and from the looks of it, neither could Percy, "it's-they're pushing me, I'm not doing this," Percy said quickly, but he still couldn't stop his heart from hammering. In this moment, Percy couldn't deny that Nico looked so very cute. His blush spreading across those pale cheeks, his shaggy midnight hair framing his face.

"It's okay, it's not your fault," Nico said, over the music, as the pair got even closer than before.

"Hi there," a voice said, pulling Nico out of the dance-wich and bringing the pale boy flush against his body.

"Oh Alex-!" Nico started, before being pulled into a kiss.

Percy looked on before averting his eyes once he saw Nico kiss some guy by the name of Alex. He couldn't help it, a jealous monster started to seep through, and he tapped his foot impatiently on the floor. Alex was tall, about as tall as Percy but that was where the similarities ended. With red hair and green eyes, freckles dusted across his cheeks and nose, his skinny and lanky form, he was the complete opposite of Percy.

"Hey baby," Alex said giving Nico's cheek another kiss.

"Hey," Nico said, clearing his throat and hoping the earth could swallow him whole to take him out of this awkward situation, "what are you doing here?"

All three girls started to glare at Alex, with Annabeth putting her hand on Percy's shoulder.

"What am I doing here? I'm looking for Fluffy," Alex gestured towards his other three band mates sitting near the bar, "what are you doing here?"

"Uh, we're looking for Will," Nico replied, his hands on Alex's shoulders.

"Oh Will," Alex said, rolling his eyes, "why can't you just follow the umbilical cord?" Alex joked before snorting and laughing a very annoying and grating laugh. Percy couldn't help but roll his eyes. Alex slung his arm around Nico and looked over at the three glaring girls and Percy, as if noticing them standing there for the first time, "oh, hi."

"What's up?" Percy said, nodding his head.

"Uh, Percy this is Alex," Nico said, introducing the redhead, "Alex this is Percy, Taylor's latest victim."

Alex looked Percy up and down, grimacing before giving him a crooked smile, "oh really? That's-man," Alex shook his head, "oh, but you're in that gay band right? That-we're gay!" Alex said, calling the group by their wrong name.

"Blue Indigo," Percy corrected, glowering over at him.

"Yeah, you were pretty decent," Alex said, before letting out a chuckle, "except for being one arm short of a Def Leppard cover group," Alex said, laughing at his dig at the group. There was that snort and annoying, braying laugh. Piper and Annabeth gave sarcastic smiles, not finding the joke very funny, Percy worked his jaw as his eyes darted from Alex to Nico. "Alright, take care girls," Alex called as he took Nico with him over to his friends at the bar.

"You guys were pretty good too except that you're two penises short of-uh," Percy started, but it was too late, neither Alex or Nico were paying attention, and Percy didn't want to admit that Nico not paying attention, kinda stung.

"You're done," Annabeth said, patting his back, "come on."

Alex started to take Nico's sweater off of him, "soft hair, cute face," Alex complimented Nico as he rubbed his hands up and down his body, "softest skin," Alex continued, running his fingers down Nico's arms.

Nico didn't know what to do, or what to think much less how to feel. He felt like Percy was just toying with him, that he wasn't really interested in Nico the way Nico wanted him to be. Plus, Nico didn't want to be Percy's rebound, the brown eyed boy didn't think he could handle that. He was feeling a little uncomfortable with Alex right now though.

For the past three years, Alex and Nico had been on again-off again boyfriends. Suffice it to say, that Alex was mostly Nico's ego-booster which yeah, kind of made Nico seem like a dick but to be fair, it's not like Nico suspected Alex was into him just because. There was definitely something else Alex wanted besides being kind of attracted to Nico. It was a feeling Nico got. On top of that, Nico's dad was very important and Nico didn't know who to trust when it came to new people, most of the time, anyone who even showed interest in the brown eyed boy wanted something from him. And it was always to have Nico introduce them to his father. Most people's intentions were never pure so it was hard to trust.

There was some feedback sounding through the club, cutting away the music that had been playing before and Percy, Piper and Annabeth turned to look at the stage. But Percy couldn't seem to focus on what was about to happen; which was pretty much the reason he had come out tonight anyways, Fluffy was soon going to start playing, according to all the clues. Percy looked to his right and regretted it instantly because right there he saw Nico, with his back turned to Alex, leaning against the redhead, with Alex's arms around the brown eyed boy. And jealousy shot through Percy, making him clench his fists and work his jaw.

Percy had no right to feel this way. Nico was nothing to Percy, just some stranger he met that night. Nico wasn't Percy's boyfriend, much less his friend. So why couldn't Percy keep his mind off of the brown eyed boy. Annabeth made sure to distract Percy, putting her arm around his shoulders and bringing him flush against her.

"Come on," Annabeth whispered in Percy's ear, "we came here for Fluffy, don't let that dick ruin your night, besides, Nico hasn't been able to stop staring at you since the moment he saw you...that has to count for something..."

 _"Fluffy! Fluffy! Fluffy! Fluffy!"_ The crowd started to break out into a chant as the stage was being set up.

The announcer came out, taking center stage, grabbing the mic and bringing it close to his mouth. He looked out into the crowd, a smile working its way on his face, "yes!" He shouted, the crowd started to shout, excited at the fact that their favorite band could possibly be performing in front of them tonight, "okay, the hype man knows what you want..." he continued, "but he's not sure if you want it enough." The people started to cheer, "do you really want it?!"

"Come on!" Piper yelled, "bring out Fluffy!"

"Do you really want it?!" The hype man asked once more, "I got one question!" He yelled, looking out into the crowd that was getting hyped up, "Are...You...RANDY!"

 _"Boo!"_ The crowd immediately switched like gears, from becoming hyped to let down in a matter of seconds.

"You suck!" A girl yelled before making her way out.

"Damn it," Nico groaned out before turning around to look at Alex.

"The bait and switch?" Alex asked, smiling over at Nico.

 _"Randy you suck!"_ A random guy shouted.

Music soon started to play as the people quickly dispersed, leaving the club almost empty except for this one guy who was _extremely_ hyped that Randy was giving a show. So hyped, he shouted in excitement as he ripped off his shirt before beginning to dance.

"So listen baby," Alex started, "what are you doing tonight?" Nico looked all over trying to make sure Percy and the girls didn't leave without him, he still had to find Will not to mention, they needed to find Fluffy. "Aside from you being beautiful? I got something I really want you to hear."

Nico finally spotted Percy, who was slowly exiting the club, but looking Nico's way, wondering whether or not Nico would go with him.

"Um," Nico said, trying to find an excuse to leave Alex quickly so that he could catch up to the group.

"Look here," Alex said, rubbing his hands up and down Nico's arms, "I need to talk to you, it's very important."

"Okay, well I'm gonna-I'm gonna..." Nico looked over and saw the group had just left, "okay you have fun," Nico said, walking away before looking over his shoulder, "I'm just gonna go find Will okay?"

Alex watched as Nico left, rolling his eyes, "you're just gonna call me in forty-five minutes anyways."

Nico exited the club, trying to quickly catch up to Percy, who was walking way behind his friends on their way back to the van. Nico pushed aside a guy, trying to get to Percy, finally putting himself right behind the sea green eyed boy. Nico tapped Percy's shoulder, making Percy turn around.

Those intense sea green eyes pinned Nico to his spot, he didn't know what to say, Nico briefly wondered if he should apologize but then he thought, apologize for what, Percy wasn't his boyfriend. He didn't even consider Nico in that category.

"Hey," Percy said, looking Nico over. That shirt fit him really good, Percy thought to himself before finally noticing that Nico wasn't wearing his sweater anymore.

"Hi," Nico answered, smiling softly and in that moment, a small breeze passed through, making Nico shiver, making him realize he had left his sweater inside with Alex.

Percy looked Nico over, and without a second thought, he took off his jacket; his most treasured jacket, the one his dad had given him and put it around Nico's shoulders, "here," Percy said.

"Oh you didn't have to..." Nico trailed, trying to fight off a blush.

"I-I know, I wanted to," Percy said, smiling down at him while adjusting the jacket in place.

They both smiled at each other, shy smiles, with hidden feelings behind them, before climbing into the van and closing the door.

Taylor, who had been waiting in line to get into the club had watched the whole thing unfold. Like as if it was all straight out of a fucking movie, he growled in frustration as he quickly got out of line and flagged down a cab, Gary right behind him.

"What's going on?" Gary asked as Taylor quickly opened the door to the taxi.

"Just get in the cab, Gary," Taylor demanded, ignoring his question, and Gary was a little slow on the uptake and still confused, so it lead to some pushing on Taylor's part, "get in the cab!" Taylor said, impatiently, once inside, Taylor looked ahead, "follow that van."

* * *

"So," Percy started, looking over at Nico briefly, "is that guy your boyfriend?"

"Sort of," Nico replied vaguely.

Annabeth and Piper looked at each other, while Buff girl merely sucked her teeth in.

"He's sort of your boyfriend or is he your sort-of boyfriend?" Percy asked.

"He's sort of my ex-boyfriend...most of the time," Nico said, bending his head down and making his bangs fall across his eyes.

Percy scoffed, "what is he the rest of the time?"

"We're friends."

"With benefits?" Percy asked, getting jealous and angry and he still didn't understand why because he didn't like Nico in that way anyways, so why the hell did he care? Why did he care so much? Why did seeing Nico with another guy bother him so much? When was this night going to finally end?

"Yeah, it's just a never-ending story...really," Nico answered.

"That's like me and Taylor," Percy said, and he knew it wasn't exactly like that but he knew that Nico hated Taylor. So Percy mentioned him, if anything to get under Nico's skin.

"No that ended, remember?" Nico said, rolling his eyes, making Percy scoff and Nico tried to backpedal, they were _just_ starting to get along, "I mean-"

"Excuse me, you have a boyfriend or ex-boyfriend with benefits but you still go around kissing total strangers?" Percy quipped.

Nico let out a mirthless laugh, "trust me, that was an act of desperation."

"Oh yeah, okay. Seemed pretty desperate to me."

"Okay," Nico began, getting angry, "well, Percy, guess what? You're not a total stranger. In fact, I am rife with too much information."

"What does that mean?" Percy asked.

"Okay," Annabeth cut in, parking the van to the side of the curb before looking back at the bickering pair, "hate to break up the love-fest back there, but does anyone know where we're going next?"

Nico sighed, "I can narrow this down."

"Let's hear it," the blonde said, taking the van off park.

"Okay," Nico began, "you know how some people like to eat in the same places?"

"Yes," Annabeth said.

"Okay Will-" Nico paused, sighing, "Will likes to barf in the same places."

"Ew," Piper said, making a face.

"Yeah...so, we're going to Mr. Tang's corner store on 72nd and Broadway," Nico said, settling back down.

* * *

Once the group got to the corner store, Nico hopped out.

"Hey," Piper called out, "we're gonna get a hot dog around the corner okay?"

"Yeah, see you there," Nico said, closing the van doors and walking inside the store. Once he walked in, he saw the store's owner picking away at the ice-covered vomit and making sure none of his ice creams got too much on them. He turned around to see Nico walk in and he started to shake his head at the ravenette.

"Oh no," the owner said, "no more please."

"Uh, have you seen him?" Nico asked.

"Your boyfriend puked in the ice cream again," Nico grimaced once he heard that, "last time it took me one hour to chip out," the owner continued.

Nico heard the small _ding-dong_ that let the owner know someone had walked into the store and he turned around hoping it was Will. Instead, he found Taylor standing there, Nico turned away quickly and walked off.

"Hey," Taylor called, following Nico throughout the store, "hey, I thought you got a ride home?" Nico ignored the question, thinking it was better to do that instead of confronting Taylor but it seemed like Taylor wasn't going to let Nico go that easily. "What do you like him, or something?" Taylor asked, finally making Nico stop and turn around.

"Do you?" Nico countered.

"Well I was with the guy for six months so..." Taylor said.

"Yes and you cheated on him for six months so..." Nico quipped.

"You didn't tell him that did you?" Taylor asked.

"No, I didn't tell him that," Nico said, looking away.

"Good."

...

"I just feel like he's messing with me," Percy said, sitting next to Annabeth in the back of the van, eating his hot dog.

"Who're we talking about?" Annabeth asked, taking a sip of her soda.

"Right now, Nico. No, Taylor...Taylor," Percy said, shaking his head, as if that would shake his thoughts into the right order.

"You just haven't figured it yet have you?" Annabeth said, smiling softly at her best friend.

"What?" Percy asked.

"It. You know, it, the big picture." Percy shook his head once the blonde said that.

"What do you mean?"

"Percy, where do you see yourself a year from now? Forget Taylor, forget Nico for a second, focus on you, your feelings, your big picture...and who is it that you want to be beside you."

"I don't know wise girl," Percy said, taking another bite of his hot dog.

"Sure Taylor made you happy, I guess but I don't really think you've examined your relationship for what it really was. You deserved better than what Taylor gave you."

"He made me happy."

"Yeah I get it, but that doesn't mean it was healthy..." Annabeth said, taking Percy's hand in hers, "I mean you suspected he was cheating on you for some time."

"I never had proof, it was just a feeling."

"Always trust your gut," Annabeth said, shaking her head, "plus he did not respect you," she continued.

Percy shook his head in denial, "no that-"

"You don't see it because you are still too close to it, but give it some time. Let yourself heal," Annabeth said, rubbing Percy's hand in hers, "and then look back with fresh eyes."

...

"Percy actually cried," Taylor said, munching on a mini carrot, "I mean, I've made guys cry before but I really broke him," Nico clenched his fists as Taylor continued. Sure he wasn't Percy's biggest fan right now, but there were some things you just kept to yourself to allow someone some kind of decency, plus Percy wasn't even a bad guy to be putting him down like Taylor was doing right now.

"And, really, I'm saying this for the both of you," the gray eyed boy continued, "I mean, I don't wanna see you get hurt but I don't wanna see him get hurt anymore either."

"What are you even talking about?" Nico asked.

"Word on the street is that whenever you're with your partner sexually, you've never had an orgasm," Taylor said, shrugging his shoulders and walking away, leaving a shell-shocked Nico behind before he gathered his wits and followed Taylor to the counter as he paid for his stuff.

"What?" Nico began, "how-what do you- okay where did you even hear this "word on the street"? Was Will on the street?"

"It's okay, I mean, I know some people just can't have them."

Nico floundered, "I-I can _have_ them."

"Sure," Taylor said slowly, before grabbing his things and walking towards the door to leave, Nico right on his heels, "look I'm just afraid that if he gets with you and nothing happens, his self-esteem could really go to the crapper y'know?" Soon, Taylor's phone started to ring in his pocket and he quickly took it out, answering it. "Hello?" Taylor answered, "oh, hey drunky," Taylor said before looking over at Nico, "it's Will."

"What?!" Nico exclaimed, "give me the phone."

"Wait, what do you mean kidnapped?" Taylor asked Will, ignoring Nico.

"Why didn't he call me?" Nico asked.

"You are so in trouble," Taylor teased, looking over at Nico, "hold on," Taylor told Will before passing his phone over to Nico.

"Where are you Will? We've been looking all over for you," Nico started as soon as the phone got handed to him.

 _"Nico,"_ Will began, looking up at someone from where he was sitting, at the bottom of a staircase from some church, "I found Jesus."

 _"What?!"_ Nico asked, more confused than before.

"Jesus!" Will repeated, looking at what was a Jesus impersonator, "he's much taller in person. I'm at a church I think...it's so...churchy and beautiful."

 _"Okay Will, listen to me, which church?"_ Nico asked, hoping for once to have Will give him a coherent sentence.

"Nico I have to follow Jesus now," Will said, once the impersonator flicked the cigarette he was smoking to the side, opening the door to go back inside.

 _"No, Will-"_

"There's an altar boy with no pants on," Will said, looking up at the passing altar boy, "why do you have no pants on altar boy?" Will asked, crawling inside the building, accidentally hanging up on Nico again.

"Oh my god," Nico ground out, gripping the phone tight in his hands, " _great!_ I have to go find Jesus now," Nico said looking over at Taylor, "here," he said, handing back Taylor's phone.

Taylor watched Nico leave and he soon exited the shop, walking back to the waiting cab out front.

"Are we done?" Gary asked once Taylor was opening the door.

"One last stop," Taylor said before closing the door and looking at the cab driver, "um, a Yugo, we're looking for a yellow Yugo."

* * *

When Nico walked up to the van, he found Percy playing with drumsticks, beating them against his lap gently, Piper cuddled up to Buff girl as they talked and Annabeth laying back against the seat, her right foot propped up against the wheel.

Percy looked over at Nico, stopping his little tune, "hey."

"Hey," Nico said back.

"Are you alright?" Percy asked, getting up to be at eye level with Nico, something about him seemed off to Percy and he didn't know what to do to help.

"Is he okay?" Piper asked, looking over at the pair.

"Yeah, fine," Nico replied, not looking Percy in the eyes, instead opting to look down at his feet, Percy looked him over and noticed there was something in his hair. He ran his hands through Nico's hair, making the brown eyed boy look up at him. There it was again, a moment where it felt like it was just the two of them as they stared into each other's eyes. Nico's hair was so soft, Percy thought as he heart started to beat just a little bit faster. "I uh, got a clue, as to where to find Will," Nico finished, there was a blush spreading across his cheeks now.

Percy thought that this was again, a rare moment when he would ever call Nico cute, so very fucking cute.

...

"He said a church, just didn't specify which one," Nico said as the group stopped right in front of a church.

"Alright, I'll go check it out," Percy said, hopping out of the van and walking towards the church.

Once the girls were alone with Nico, they all looked back at the brown eyed boy. Something had been definitely off ever since he came back from the store, his face said it all even if he tried to hide it.

"What's wrong?" Annabeth was the first to speak.

Nico let out a sigh, "Taylor is what's wrong."

"Taylor?" Annabeth asked, "oh please that guy's got nothing on you. For one thing, he's awful."

"Awful," agreed Buff girl.

"And for another," Piper continued where Annabeth left off, "you're amazing."

"Amazing," Buff girl agreed once more.

Nico smiled softly at them, "I don't know...I don't think I'm good enough..."

"For Percy?" Annabeth asked softly.

"For Percy...for myself..."

"I know it's kind of hard to see it right now," Annabeth began, "but you're a really great person Nico, I need you to see that."

"Thanks Annabeth, Piper..." Nico thanked them before looking at Buff girl, "uh...Buff girl, thanks."

Piper giggled, taking Buff girl's hand in hers, "you're welcome."

...

Percy jogged up to the side entrance since the main entrance of the church didn't have a drunken blond on the steps, nor any way to get in since it was locked. He tripped over a can and soon there was a yell from a homeless lady sleeping near where he tripped.

"Hey!" She said, waking up the guy sleeping near her. A big, chubby, scary looking homeless guy was soon in Percy's face, making Percy want to run as fast as he could out of there, "I'm sleeping here!" She continued.

"Trying to take my BLT yo?!" The scary guy said, almost pouncing on Percy who backed away as fast as he could before he felt an arm around his shoulder and heard a new voice trying to calm the angry guy in front of him.

"Hey, relax, it's cool Switzerland, I got this," Percy got turned around and saw another guy in front of him, less scary than the other dude but something about his eyes was off, signaling a red flag to Percy. His face was dirty, as was his black hair but what could you do when you were homeless, and he had a small gap between his front teeth. Percy was able to see because the guy had a smile on him throughout the whole thing, and there was something unsettling about it as well.

"Hey," Percy said, deciding to play nice as he figured a way out of the situation.

"What's up friend?" The guy said, and Switzerland closed in on Percy's right side, "how ya doin'?"

"Good," Percy replied, nervous, "I-I was just gonna go in there-"

"Hey, you walked right in here," the smiling guy said, "didn't you little bird."

"I didn't mean to..." Percy said, backing away, with Switzerland and smiling guy advancing on him.

"You're like a little canary in skinny jeans," smiling guy said, his hand on Percy's shoulder as he looked Percy up and down, biting his bottom lip.

"Well I was just looking for my friend, I was gonna go in there to look..."

"Oh, you got friends right here," smiling guy continued, "me and Switzerland are here for you, baby." Switzerland tried to put his hand on Percy's shoulder as well but he shrugged them both off of him, okay now, he was terrified.

"Ay, thanks for coming by, let me ask you a question," smiling guy said, "you ever hook up with a dog?"

"What? _No._ What? Like an-an-a dog? Like a pet? No."

Smiling guy shook his head, he let out a laugh, "ah don't. It's not worth it," he continued to advance on Percy, looking him up and down once more, "I like you so much, in those tight ass skinny jeans..."

"I'm-I'm running away..." Percy said as he began to run off, "I'm running!"

"Run away," smiling guy called out, "run away little canary."

Percy ran all the way to the van where the others had the doors of the back open and Nico was leaning on one of them, "okay," Percy came up to them suddenly, startling them, "okay," Percy's breaths were coming in pants and his heart was still beating pretty fast, "what exactly did he say to you?" He asked Nico, while looking over his shoulder to make sure he wasn't being followed.

"Uh," Nico looked at him strangely, "something about an altar boy with no pants on, I had no idea what he was talking about."

"Oh, Midnight Ass!" Piper said, from her place behind Buff girl, who was leaning against Piper, "the all-male holigay revue at Camera Obscura," Nico and Percy looked at her confused, " _Deck the balls...O'Horny Night..._ you guys never went to that?"

"It's a Christmas show at this time of year?" Percy asked.

"Since when does a queen need an excuse to sing," Piper said, making Annabeth shake her head as she turned on the car.

* * *

 _"You go girl!"_

Christmas music started to play, while on the stage three performers in wigs and Christmas outfits danced around.

 _"For the tenth gay of Christmas my true love gave to thee...ten men a-streakin'."_

Nico opened the doors to find an altar boy with no pants on, "oh," walking around, "wow...Will was not wrong."

The group made their way through the church, passing by guys who were looking at Nico and Percy, devouring them with their eyes.

 _"Five tiny dicks!"_ Sang the performer.

Percy and the trio of girls all waited off to the side as Nico looked around the place for any sign of Will.

Nico walked up to Percy, "did you find him?" Percy asked as he looked over at the brown eyed boy.

"No," Nico said.

The song finished, to claps and cheers from the crowd and Nico was just about to give up when suddenly, the top of the Christmas tree on the stage popped off, revealing Will, wearing a pine tree helmet with Christmas decorations.

"Merry Christmas!" Will yelled, all smiles before his blue eyes landed on Nico, "Nico! Merry Christmas Nico! I'm sorry I didn't get you anything! But I made it to Broadway Nico!"

Percy laughed as Will continued to yell to Nico, who was only glaring slightly at his blond friend, "I'll get him," Percy offered, making his way to Will on stage.

"Oh, thanks," Nico said, looking after Percy.

"This tree is _drunk_ ," Will said, "Nico look! It's Yugo! He came to rescue me! Ow!" Will said as he was taken down from the tree on stage.

...

"Oh it's right here, stop," Taylor said, once he caught sight of Percy's Yugo, "right here, stop."

The cab came to a stop just a bit before Percy's car and Taylor made his way out, Gary trying to follow before the door was slammed on his face, Taylor looked at him through the window, "um, I'll text you, okay?" He said, giving Gary a smile and leaving him alone in the cab.

...

"You want us to take you back to the Yugo Perce?" Annabeth asked.

"Yeah sure," Percy said, as one of the band's songs started to play. Piper's voice sounding out through the speakers in the car, Buff girl gave Piper a kiss on her cheek which made her blush, a big, goofy smile making its way on her face.

"The bass is really good," Nico complimented Percy.

"Thank you," Percy said, giving Nico a small smile.

"Ugh," Will said, letting out a watery burp.

"You okay?" Nico asked, looking down at Will, pushing his blond curls out of his face as Will snuggled closer to Nico.

"No," the blond sniffled.

Percy looked at the two before focusing on Nico, "you guys must be really good friends."

"Yes, _I_ am a great friend," Nico said, letting out a chuckle, "it's always been like this. I'm the head squire in Will's quest for attention," Nico said as Will let out a couple more watery burps, drool falling off the corner of his mouth which Nico scooped up with his left hand.

Percy made a face at that, he loved Annabeth, Piper and his other best friend Grover to bits but he crossed the line at picking up their bodily fluids, "that's gross, do you wanna-" Percy checked his pocket and soon took out a small handi wipe, "I got this."

"You've got a handi wipe?" Nico asked as Percy ripped it open, taking out the white, sanitized cloth.

"Yeah," Percy said smiling, taking Nico's hand in his, "it's handy."

"What a gentleman," Nico teased as Percy started to wipe his hand clean.

"Yeah, I had Chinese food like, a week ago and I never wash my pants, I like to keep the night on them," Percy joked, he looked over at Nico as the brown eyed boy watched the wipe cleaning his hand. Percy's heart skipped a beat. Nico's eyelashes were so long, and his skin was so pale, it gave a nice contrast with his black hair.

"I've been uh, thinking more about Brown," Nico started, quietly.

"Yeah?" Percy said, flicking his eyes over at Nico, who was looking at him, as Percy finished cleaning Nico's hand. Nico's fingertips were cold, but Percy didn't mind, it was nice, a contrast to his own warm hands.

"I think it'd be nice to know someone an hour away."

"Yeah," Percy said, looking up at Nico once he was finished, and they smiled at each other before Nico looked away, his eyes on Will.

"Besides, I think it'd be nice to get away from my minion duties," Nico joked, patting Will on the shoulder.

The girls all looked at each other, knowingly, sly smiles on their faces. Annabeth parked the van, looking over at Percy's parked Yugo before her smile fell off her face, "ah, shit," she said.

"What?" Nico asked as he and Percy both looked out the window to see what everyone else was staring at.

There, sitting on his yellow Yugo was Taylor. The gray eyed boy looked over at Percy, peeking through the window and smiled, giving him a wave. Nico and Percy backed away from the window with Percy scratching his cheek.

Percy let out a sigh, "maybe I should just go...deal with it right now." Nico nodded his head but stayed quiet. "Well, how will you get home?"

"Percy!" Piper exclaimed.

"We'll get home fine, you guys can still drop us off right?" Nico asked, looking to the girls for confirmation.

"Yeah, of course we can," Annabeth said before minutely glaring at Percy.

Percy looked at Nico and hesitated. Did he really want to leave the van, leave this little bubble he was in with Nico and go with Taylor? Percy didn't know anymore, he was so confused. He didn't even know how he really felt for Nico and yet...he was still hesitating leaving. He had only known Nico for _one_ night, and he had known Taylor for six months.

 _Yeah and look how well that worked out for you?_ Said a voice inside his head. Percy looked back at Nico and his heart yearned...but yearned for what. He slowly got up and got out of the van, Nico looking down, one of his hands playing with Will's hair and for a second Percy wished that were him, laying on Nico's lap, with his hands running through Percy's hair.

"Percy," Nico called out, still looking down, making Percy pause, "nice meeting you," he finished, finally looking up at Percy, brown eyes meeting sea green ones and Percy wished that Taylor wasn't there, sitting on top of his car in that moment.

"You too," Percy said, quietly, closing the door and walking towards Taylor. The girls had driven off, leaving him alone and Percy wondered if he made the right decision.

Percy walked up to the boy who once had held his heart in his hands, and then broke it, "hi."

"Hi," Taylor gave Percy a smile.

"What are you doing here?"

"You know what I'm doing here," Taylor said easily.

"No, I really don't," Percy said, shaking his head, Nico still fresh on his mind.

"Well it wasn't hard to find the only Yugo in the city," Taylor said, getting off the head and stopping on the passenger side of Percy's car.

"I think it's the only Yugo in the country."

"Aren't you gonna open the door for me?" Taylor asked, giving Percy a sweet smile.

"Where are we going?" Percy asked.

"You're giving me a ride home."

"Why don't you get a ride from that new guy?"

"He doesn't have a Yugo," Taylor said, "it's...just a ride. It's late...please?"

Percy scratched the back of his head, "okay," he said, unlocking his door and doing the same for Taylor on his side.

* * *

Will choked slightly on the gum still in his mouth, "ugh, here," he said, taking it out and handing it to Nico.

"I don't want your gum," Nico said.

"Just take it, _gosh_ ," Will said, putting it on Nico's hand and turning around.

Nico inhaled slowly, trying to stay calm. He wasn't about to snap at Will, especially as tipsy as the blond was. On top of that, Nico had gotten himself in this mess anyway, and he couldn't expect Percy to just quit his feelings for Taylor like that. That wasn't how feelings worked. Nico shook his head, digging into his pocket for his phone. He dialed the old familiar number of Alex and put the phone up to his ear.

 _"Hello."_

"Hey Alex," Nico said, heaving a sigh and putting Will's old gum in his mouth.

 _"Nico!"_

"Where are you?"

 _"I'm at Klong,"_ Alex said.

"Okay I'll be there soon." With that Nico hung up and looked over at the three silent girls in the front, "hey," Nico called out to them, he saw Annabeth's gray eyes looking over through the rear view mirror while Piper and Buff girl looked over their shoulders at him, "would you guys mind dropping me off at a club and get Will home back to Englewood?"

"Sure," Piper said, "we'll do that for you."

"Thank you."

The van came to a stop in front of the club, Klong and Nico looked down at Will, who was most definitely sober at that point and wide awake. Nico ran his fingers through his friend's hair while Will tapped his fingers on Nico's lap.

"Here we are," Annabeth announced, none too happily. She hated the fact that Nico and Percy were going their separate ways, especially after the little adventure they just finished having. It seemed like the pair had bonded through it, even if there had been some bickering along the way.

"You should go," Will said, looking up at his friend with his baby blue eyes, "I'll be fine, don't worry about me, go be with..." Will hesitated, "Alex."

Nico nodded his head, "okay," he said as he bent down to give Will a kiss on the forehead, "be safe Will."

"You too," the blond tugged on Nico's hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze, before letting go, Nico hopped out of the van with one final look in Will's direction, "I miss you already," the blond teased as he wave goodbye.

Nico closed the door, with a small smile Will's way before going up to the window on Piper's side, tapping on the glass gently. Piper rolled down her window, giving Nico a smile, "alright," the brown eyed boy began, "you guys got directions? You know where you're going?" Nico asked the trio.

"Yeah, we got them," Annabeth answered, giving Nico a smile, "we may not be natives to New Jersey, but I think we can get there fine, if we can get by in New York, NJ should be no problem," the blonde teased.

"Yeah, besides, we have Miss. Know-It-All right here," Piper joked, sticking out her tongue at Annabeth.

"Alright, no stopping, no stopping for anything," Nico said, smiling at them, a laugh bubbling out of him, "I don't care if Angelina Jolie is selling fruit in a thong on the GW, got it?"

"Yeah," Piper said clearing her throat, "yeah, totally we know, besides Annabeth is the responsible one," she giggled, looking over at her blonde friend, who could only roll her eyes at Piper's antics. Piper looked over at Nico, a soft smile on her face, "well, good night my selfless, loyal hero, loyal even to complete strangers you just met," Piper said softly.

"Good night Piper," Nico said, reaching out for hand, giving it a small squeeze before looking over at the other two girls, "good night Annabeth."

"Good night Nico," Annabeth said, a little sadness seeping through. She didn't want to say bye just yet.

"It was really fun," Buff girl spoke up, smiling at Nico.

"You know, I don't know your name, I never got it," Nico sighed.

"It's Reyna," Reyna let out a small laugh.

"It was nice meeting you Reyna," Nico said, letting Reyna's name roll right off his tongue, "I'm gonna miss you guys."

"Well you're always more than welcome to come to our shows," Annabeth offered, "we'll always have a space open for you and Will, just don't let Will out of your sight, we wouldn't want to embark on another wild goose chase right?"

"Thanks Annabeth."

With that Nico turned around and walked right into the club, once again, slipping past the line of people waiting to get in. The three girls watched after him, before turning the car over and peeling out to do one more thing before the night was over.

Nico walked in, pushing past people milling about, either lounging in the lounge area or sitting on a bar stool at the bar. Brown eyes perused the room, looking for a familiar head of red hair.

"There you are," Nico heard Alex's voice before he felt himself pressed up against Alex's body, "you made it. Let's go have a seat."

Alex took Nico to where his other three band mates were sitting, putting Nico in between Alex and his drummer. Alex took a sip of his beer before turning his attention to Nico, "so, did you ever find Winehouse?" He asked, snorting at the small joke he made.

"Yes," Nico replied, "and, you don't wanna know...what happened."

"Wow, you really are an amazing person, you know, an amazing friend, really," Alex said, running his fingers through Nico's hair.

"Thanks," Nico smiled at him, rubbing Alex's cheek with his hand.

"Hey, what is this jacket?" Alex asked, looking over Nico, "you weren't wearing this before and who is Jackson?" He asked, noticing the name on the jacket, "do I got something to worry about over here?"

Nico shook his head, Percy on his mind once more but the brown eyed boy pushed him back, just like how Percy pushed Nico back and instead choose Taylor, "it's just a jacket."

"Yeah?" Alex asked.

"Trust me."

"Okay, well hey listen, I just want to let you know," Alex started, putting his forehead against Nico's and Nico looked up and into his emerald green eyes but somehow, they didn't look as brilliant as before. Not after staring into Percy's eyes, Nico just didn't feel the magic anymore when staring into Alex, and it had been long gone awhile ago, even before Percy but now, he felt like he didn't know what he was doing here. "I'm really glad you came to see me," Alex finished, bringing Nico out of his thoughts and back into reality.

"Yeah?" Nico asked.

"Yeah, and I got you a present," Alex said, smiling at the brown eyed boy.

"What?" Nico asked, surprised, "you didn't have to do that."

"I know, I wanted to give you a present," Alex said, pulling out a CD from his jacket and handing it to Nico.

"Oh," Nico said, words left him and he didn't know what to say, "wow..."

"Yeah, we finally started recording and that's our first CD, so what do you think? Do you like it?"

Nico couldn't find it in himself to say anything else, "mmm, mhm, yeah."

"Really?" Alex asked, "you do?" Nico nodded once more, "oh that means so much, thank you," Alex said, sounding relieved as he caressed Nico's cheek, "and...do you think your dad will like it?" He asked.

And there it was.

Nico looked over the CD cover, the words sinking in. Here he was again, almost four years spent with this guy and all he wanted was to get to his dad. He felt used. Nico found it hard to swallow. He briefly closed his eyes to get a hold of his emotions. He guessed tonight, just wasn't his night.

"Whenever you're ready," a waitress came by with the tab for Alex's table.

"Eh," Alex started, "what? Uh, no," he looked over at his band mates, "did they just charge us?"

"What?" Said the drummer, confused. Nico scoffed internally.

"What the hell, did they just charge us?" Alex repeated before looking over at Nico, "do you think that you talk to somebody to fix this? Please?"

Nico worked his jaw, before looking at Alex, "about that?" He asked, nodding his head over at the bill, "sure."

"Really?" Alex asked, "thank you."

"Yeah, sit tight," Nico said, tapping Alex's knee as he got up from the couch and grabbed the bill from the table, walking over to the waitress who had left it there.

"Thank you, you're the coolest person ever," Alex said before fist bumping his friends.

"Excuse me," Nico said, getting the attention of the waitress, "I think you meant two zeros, not one."

"Oh, okay, thank you."

"Yeah," Nico said, nodding at her before walking to the exit and leaving Alex behind, for good this time.

* * *

Percy drove his car, whistling softly in tune with the song that was playing.

"I feel so safe here," Taylor began, rubbing his hands up and down Percy's shoulders, "like when I was a kid driving home with my parents, and I couldn't help but fall asleep in the car because it felt like I was already home." Taylor's hands soon found themselves through Percy's hair, "that's how you feel Perce, like I'm already home." Taylor then held on to the back of Percy's head rest but it was weak and wobbly and soon fell off due to the pressure Taylor was putting, making Taylor fall back into the back seats.

Taylor laughed, holding onto the broken head rest, "well your car misses me, it's falling apart without me," he teased.

"But you just did that," Percy said, he didn't know why he was acting like this with Taylor but he was. For some, all of what Taylor said or did was having no affect on Percy, except maybe make him irritated in some way. Just this morning he would have given anything for Taylor to give him the light of day and now here he was, getting just that and yet...

He couldn't get Nico out of his head.

"Oh come on," Taylor said, his hands on Percy once more, "are you really over me?"

Was Percy really over Taylor? It seemed like it was way too quick but truth be told they had been broken up for over a month. And yet, Percy looked over to Taylor briefly and instead of seeing those brown eyes he had quickly grown accustomed to, he saw gray ones.

"You wouldn't have to get over me, if you were still under me," Taylor whispered in his ear, his lips kissing Percy on the cheek, before making their way to his ear.

"Wait, wait, wait," Percy said, stopping Taylor from going further.

"What?" Taylor asked, exasperated.

"Just, y'know I'm driving so-"

"So let's stop off somewhere, look let's go down by the river," Taylor pointed out and Percy didn't know what to do. He was so confused at this point, did he want to be with Taylor or did he want Nico? Taylor is who he wanted to be with for the past month...

So why couldn't he get Nico off his mind.

Percy turned into the river and parked the car, looking over at Taylor. And where there was supposed to be black hair, blacker than night itself and porcelain skin, with brown eyes so dark you didn't know where the pupil began, Percy saw brown hair, tan skin and gray eyes.

Taylor looked Percy over and then slowly leaned in, kissing his neck, then going up, kissing his cheek before trying to kiss Percy's lips until Percy moved away, his body tense at the strange feeling of Taylor's lips on him again.

"I've been kind of getting some mixed signals from you lately," Percy said, his hands were still on the wheel and his seat belt was still on him too.

"Oh yeah?" Taylor asked.

"Well...yeah, sort of."

Taylor grabbed Percy's right hand, putting right above his crotch, making Percy feel his hardening dick, "how's that for mixed signal?"

"Well," Percy said, taking his hand back and putting it on the wheel again, "I guess that clears it up."

Taylor laughed before listening to the song playing in that moment, "hey that's my song," he said, turning up the volume and as soon as Percy heard it, his mind went back to Brooklyn Pool, and how he was dancing with Nico to this exact song.

"Yeah," Percy said, scratching the back of his head.

Taylor bit his lip, opening the car door and getting out, standing right in front of Percy's car, his headlights shining on Taylor as if they were the perfect spotlight. He took off his cardigan, throwing it off to the side. Percy let a small smile spread, he still found Taylor cute, and he continued to watch as Taylor started to dance for Percy. Percy rubbed a hand down his face.

He didn't know what to do or what to think. He saw Taylor walk towards his car, getting up on the hood and leaning over to the windshield, where he planted a kiss for Percy. And Percy looked at the lip marks left on his windshield, smiling as Taylor danced on his hood. But the more Percy stared at Taylor, and the more he listened to this song, he couldn't help his thoughts from going back to Nico.

Dancing with him, laughing with him, fighting with him. Percy didn't care because in that moment Percy realized, he just wanted to be with Nico, around Nico, as much as he possibly could be. Taylor got off of Percy's hood and walked back, still dancing for Percy but Percy couldn't do it anymore. And it was in that moment that he finally realized, he was over Taylor, in every way possible.

Percy changed gears and started to back out, reversing the car before changing gears again and driving off, with Taylor yelling after him. Percy drove off, but his eyes soon landed on Taylor's lip marks on his windshield and Percy turned on the wipers to clean it away. He patted his jeans to look for his phone but found it wasn't there.

"Shit," Percy mumbled to himself.

He knew where his phone was. It was with Nico. All the more reason to see him again.

* * *

"Chocolate chip pancakes?" The waitress came by with a new batch of pancakes as the brown eyed boy took a bite of his eggs.

"Great, thanks," Nico said, as the waitress set the plate down.

Soon a ringing sounded out from Percy's jacket and Nico rolled his eyes as he dug around for what was sure to be Percy's phone. He looked down at the caller ID and saw it was unknown, sighing, Nico swiped to answer the call, "Perseus' phone?"

 _"Hi, is Percy there?"_

"No he's not, would you like to call back for his voicemail?" Nico deadpanned. The connection on the other end of the line was horrible, Nico thought to himself, you could hear static whenever the person talked.

 _"Can I actually leave a message?"_

"Yeah but if I need a pen, you're shit out of luck," Nico said, taking a sip of his coffee.

 _"Don't worry about it. Could you just tell him that um, he really blew it tonight when he got out of the van?"_ At that Nico stopped cutting his pancakes and looked around the small diner he was in, before looking out the windows as he realized it was Percy on the phone. _"And that, uh, he knows Nico is mad at him and probably never wants to see him again...he'd like to apologize to him in person...if that's possible?"_

"Really?" Nico asked, trying but failing to keep a smile off his face.

 _"Yeah, where are you? Did you leave the city?"_

"I'm at Veselka," Nico answered.

 _"What are the cross streets?"_

"Second and Ninth."

 _"Okay well, don't leave please, I'm gonna come over...just please don't leave."_

"I'll be waiting," with that Nico hung up the phone, a giddy smile on his face.

...

Percy entered the diner Nico was in and saw the brown eyed boy sitting in the far corner, looking straight at him, as if waiting for Percy to get there. And Percy couldn't help the nervous smile that reached his face, or the fact that his hands were fidgeting.

He walked over to where Nico was seated and sat himself on the right, next to Nico, both of them smiling at each other.

"Hey," Nico smiled Percy's way and Percy's heart wanted to leap out of his chest in that moment. Nico's smile was so innocent and nervous and Percy loved it all the more.

"Hey," Percy smiled at him, "so I have a confession to make."

"Oh do you?" Nico asked.

"I like your jacket," Percy said, teasing Nico.

"Thank you," Nico played along, "but it's not mine."

"It should be," Percy continued.

"It belongs to Jackson."

"Well he told me to let you keep it," Percy said, "says it looks really good on you."

"He said that?" Nico asked, eyes mildly wide in surprise.

"Yeah but don't tell his wife he said that, she gets crazy jealous, but then again," Percy looked over at Nico and gave him a dark smirk, "so do I, and I get really crazy when I'm jealous."

Nico tried to fight off the blush spreading across his cheeks, he looked away, making Percy chuckle at him.

"Is this your gum right here?" Percy asked, attempting to poke the gum that had traveled between three mouths and a toilet.

"Don't touch it," Nico said, smacking Percy's hands away, "it has to maintain its freshness."

Percy laughed at Nico, settling back into his seat.

"So I, uh, also have a confession to make," Nico said looking down at the table.

Percy shook his head, letting Nico know he could continue.

"Not here," Nico said quietly and so they wrapped everything up at the diner, Nico paying for his meal as the pair left, walking down a lonely street.

"So," Nico started, Percy walking right by his side, "before Alex I never..."

"What?" Percy asked, smiling at Nico, he couldn't believe how cute he looked in this moment.

"Uh, I never actually kissed anyone else...till tonight," Nico finished, and he felt his cheeks start to heat up as Percy stared at him, a bit wide-eyed.

"Really?"

"Yeah, unless you count my friend Eliza, she's a year older than me, when we were younger while we played truth or dare...I was dared to kiss her for a second...a peck on the lips is all..."

"I do count your friend Eliza, who's older than you by a year when you guys were younger, a kiss is a kiss, doesn't matter if it's a peck for one second," Percy said, "you'd be a fool not to count it." Nico smiled at him, "how long were you guys together?"

"It was only a second I swear and she's just a really good friend," Nico said while Percy raised an eyebrow, "oh, me and Alex? I knew that," Nico said, "three years, total."

"Wow," Percy said, raising his eyebrows, "friends with benefits?" Nico nodded his head. "Well what are the benefits?"

"Yeah that's crossed my mind...I don't know," Nico shook his head, "I don't know, he's just always been there and...you feel ignored for long enough, it's just nice to feel special sometimes," Nico said, his voice soft and his cheeks puffing out, trying to make it seem like it wasn't a big deal but Percy could tell that it was.

"Just, I wonder what keeps people together for so long..." Nico asked, walking down another street with Percy before realizing where he was heading, "hey," Nico stopped in his tracks, Percy following suit, "do you wanna go somewhere?"

Percy looked at Nico, and one thought came across his mind, with Nico, anywhere, "sure."

"I'll drive," Nico said, grabbing Percy by the hand.

"Oh, I don't know about that."

"Come on Perce, please?" Nico looked up at Percy with those innocent brown eyes and Percy couldn't help but give in.

"Okay-"

"Yes!"

"But you have to promise me, you'll be careful, driving stick is not the same as automatic."

...

"Aren't you impressed that I'm driving stick, like a pro?" Nico said, but soon after a honk was heard behind him.

"Um..." Percy began, "I wouldn't-I wouldn't say pro just yet..."

"This is unbelievable...you are literally like my musical soul mate," Nico commented as he looked through Percy's phone, at his playlists, "just literally my musical soul mate."

"I'll take this," Percy said, taking his phone back from Nico, "why don't you just focus on driving..."

"What? Don't like my sweet moves?" Nico asked as another honk sounded behind him before passing Nico.

"No I just need something to distract me from the fact that you're driving my car pretty recklessly right now."

"I am a great driver," Nico said, before turning a corner and parking right near the curb.

Percy looked out his window and looked at the space between the car and the sidewalk and then checked the mirror and looked at the space left between the curb and his Yugo, "oh this is a really fancy parking job. It's good cause like, if another car wants to park between the curb and us, he can get right in here."

"Fine," Nico looked Percy's way, "I'll get closer to the curb, just for you, just for you Percy," Nico shifted gears, "just because you're picky like that." He intended to go backward, he really had but instead Nico found himself going forward and he pressed the brakes too late before Percy's car hit a few trash cans, right on the sidewalk, Percy's car making a really loud, really weird noise, almost as if it were going to die. That or the fact that the gears were stuck. Smoke started to come out from under the hood as Percy looked around himself.

"We're close enough to the curb," Percy looked over at Nico, who was looking at Percy with huge, apologetic eyes, "we're right on it now."

...

"Sorry I broke your car," Nico said, leading Percy down a darkened hallway.

"Yeah, it's okay, we'll call a tow truck or something-" Percy's words died in his mouth as Nico flipped on the light switch revealing a place Percy had only seen in magazines or TV.

"Welcome to-"

"Olympia Muses Studio," Percy cut in, "built by Calliope Alberona in 1973." Nico laughed as he looked at Percy's shocked expression, "do you have any idea who's recorded here?" Percy asked, "Led Zeppelin, AC/DC, The Rolling Stones, Kiss..." Nico just nodded his head with every band Percy named. "Do you-your dad-" Percy sputtered, "your dad owns this place?"

"Yeah."

"Is he-no way-is he Hades di Angelo?" Percy asked, putting his hand over his mouth, "oh man wait, you're a di Angelo?"

"Yes, yes, I am."

"Oh my god, I was hanging out with a di Angelo all night long and I didn't even know it. I was bickering with a do Angelo all night too!" Percy said in disbelief as Nico smirked his way, playfulness in his dark brown eyes, "so what is your dad like a-former hippie, current yuppie spoon-feeding the masses the same old garbage?"

Nico looked at him shocked, his mouth slowly moving into a smile, "yes, and yes...I'm gonna use that in my graduation speech," Nico let out a chuckle. Nico soon grabbed Percy by the wrist, "here come on," he said, leading the sea green eyed male further in.

* * *

 _"They were supposed to show up tonight at Brooklyn Pool but it looks like Where's Fluffy is gonna be-"_

"Wait, wait," Annabeth said, sleep leaving her once foggy mind as she sat up straighter in her seat, turning the volume up and nudging Reyna, who nudged Piper awake, "guys listen."

 _"Should I tell them?"_ The radio jockey asked his co-host.

 _"I don't think they deserve it,"_ replied his co-host.

 _"I should tell them?"_ The same guy asked again.

"Yes!" Piper yelled, now fully awake, as if they could hear her through the radio.

 _"Alright, I'll give you a hint, are you ready? Five, sixty-eight, one hundred and...twenty one!"_

The girls waited for more before the radio jockey began to play some music, signaling the end of the clue.

"Oh come on!" Piper shouted.

"The numbers they mean something!" Annabeth said, her brain racing as she tried to solve this riddle. Normally she loved solving riddles and she was very good at them, but she wasn't in the best shape right now. Having been up for the past twelve-plus hours, having played a show, having gone on a goose chase for a drunk blond and now driving said blond from downtown NY to his home...Annabeth was exhausted. So you could excuse her for how slow her brain was working.

"So stupid," Will mumbled to himself, half-asleep and half-awake.

"Maybe it's the alphabet?" Piper asked.

"There are NOT sixty eight letters in the alphabet Piper, focus!"

"Don't yell at me I'm just trying to help! I don't see you contributing Brainiac!"

"Oh my god," Will shouted to be heard over the bickering girls, "it's an address! Fifth Avenue 68th street, New York, New York, 10021..."

Piper giggled, looking over at Annabeth, "it's an address," the blonde said, "wait..."

"Turn!" Piper exclaimed.

"I can't! We're almost to the Lincoln Tunnel!

Reyna looked over at Annabeth's grip on the wheel before grabbing it herself and making the blonde turn the van around, almost crashing into some cars as that was done. The girls screamed in terror while Will rolled around on the van floor, Annabeth tried to get control of the steering, getting plenty of honks as the van made its way back around, missing the Lincoln Tunnel by a few minutes.

"Whooo!" Will shouted, all three girls' hearts were racing, "let's party!"

...

Nico took Percy further back where the "magic" would happen. All of the recordings done and tuned out to create a hit. Percy's eyes widened in awe as he looked about, he walked over to a white guitar propped up against a corner on the outside of the recording booth.

"I'm gonna throw up," Percy said looking back at Nico.

"Please, not on the Strat," Nico let out a laugh.

"Yeah, I'll try not to, can I pick this up?" Percy asked, looking at it.

"Yeah, go ahead."

Percy picked up the guitar and slung it over him, "my god, it's left handed," Percy said as he strummed his fingers on it, "it's like I'm playing for the first time," Percy looked up at Nico then, "wait, is this the job you have lined up?"

"It's mine if I want it yeah."

"How could you not want this?" Percy asked in disbelief.

"I don't know," Nico began, looking away, "I love music I just think...if I work in it...I might not love it the same way anymore," Nico looked Percy over, "I loved your mixes by the way."

"Oh you heard those?"

"I heard one, or seven...yeah I have seven of them," Nico laughed, "I knew you liked Where's Fluffy before I asked."

"Kind of creepy but then again, you did say you were rife with information about me," Percy smirked Nico's way, "which song was your favorite?"

"Let's see, um, too many favorite songs to name them all, we'd be here all night, but I can tell you my favorite verse..."

"Tell me."

"The way you're moving in your sleep, the way you look before you leap, the strange illusions that you keep, you don't know but I'm noticing," Nico said, looking over at Percy who was staring at Nico like as if he had just found some hidden treasure.

"I wrote that," Percy said, sheepishly.

"You did?"

"Yeah."

"I really, really loved that."

"It wasn't about him, you know," Percy clarified, "it wasn't about anyone actually...it was just..."

"Would you play it?" Nico asked.

"Right now?"

"Yeah dude, look at where we are."

"You wanna lay it down?" Percy asked, getting excited.

"Yes."

"Really?"

"Get in there."

Percy walked into the other side of the recording booth and walked up to the recording mic, putting on the headphones placed on top, "can you hear me?" Percy asked Nico, looking to the brown eyed boy on the other side of the glass.

"Check," Nico said.

"Yeah, alright," Percy said, strumming the guitar.

 _"I never should have let you drive my car, because now it's ruined forever. It was the biggest mistake of my life, to let you drive it."_ Percy teased, making a gag song.

"I'm sorry," Nico winced.

"That's okay, Wanda, she falls apart and I put her back together again, I'm used to it."

"You named your car Wanda?" Nico smirked over at Percy.

"She's a fighter that one."

"Is she just like her owner? A fighter as well?" Nico teased, shutting the recording off.

"I guess yeah, I fall apart, I can put myself back together again, with some help along the way," Percy smiled softly.

Nico walked to the door leading up to the recording booth, he leaned against it as he stared at Percy. Percy licked his lips, and put the headphones back in its place, then he propped the guitar up, careful not to damage it before turning to Nico.

"You gonna stand there all night or are you gonna come over here and get closer to me?" Percy asked, his voice dipping down a bit and Nico couldn't help the shiver that ran up his spine at the look Percy was giving him.

Nico walked over to Percy, biting his own lip and seeing Percy's eyes follow his every move. They stood before each other, their hearts beating fast, nerves on end and yet, they wanted nothing more than feel each other's hands on their bodies.

"Percy," Nico whispered, "I don't-I don't want to be some kind of rebound for you...I don't think I can handle that."

"Nico, you're not, you would never be, you're not Taylor-"

"I know, I can't be as handsome as Taylor," Nico cut in, looking away, "I know I'll never be as good looking as him."

"Nico," Percy said, pulling the brown eyed boy closer, flush against his body, "you're beautiful," Percy said, stroking Nico's cheek, "can't you see? You're absolutely beautiful."

"Really?"

"Yes, there's no competition here," Percy reassured Nico as they moved towards the couch, "there shouldn't be one, because you and Taylor are two different people, with completely different personalities, trust me I know," Percy laughed, "we've been bickering almost the whole night." Nico rolled his eyes at Percy. "I like you because you're you, Nico."

Nico looked up at Percy and saw such openness and truth in his eyes, he couldn't help but kiss Percy then and there. This kiss was different than the one they had shared before. It held so much emotion, so much promise of what was to come in the future between them, so much trust, something they didn't have before. Percy grabbed Nico by the hair, he loved pulling on it slightly, loved feeling the softness of Nico's hair and the softness of his skin.

Nico soon straddled Percy, their kisses turning more assured, more confident, more secure and more rushed. They felt impatient, as if a fire were rippling through them, as they continued to kiss. Percy licked Nico's bottom lip, silently begging for permission to enter, begging to explore every part of Nico's mouth, every small crevice. Nico granted it, their tongues meeting in a dance, battling for dominance which Nico quickly gave, their breaths were ragged and at the back of Nico's mind, he noticed Percy had the most softest lips ever.

Percy had Nico lie down on the couch with Percy on top of him as he started to undo Nico's pants. Nico ran his hands under Percy's shirt, feeling every ripple of muscle, despite the fact that Percy was lean, he had some nice muscle definition showing. Percy started to pull Nico's pants down, along with his boxers, and Nico's length sprang forward.

Percy stopped and looked down at Nico, "are you sure this is okay?"

Nico's lust filled dark eyes focused on Percy, before nodding his head, "I trust you Percy."

Percy felt his heart beat fast when Nico said that, and he kissed Nico fiercely, a bruising, searing kiss that poured every emotion Percy was feeling into it as his hands grabbed at Nico's length. Nico moaned out loud as Percy started to stroke up and down, rubbing his thumb across the head, which was dripping with precum, and rubbing it around. He stroked Nico, alternating between soft and slow or rough and fast. Percy's other hand soon reached down for Nico's balls, fondling them as he continued to stroke Nico,

Nico was delirious with pleasure, one hand on Percy's shoulder, balling his shirt in his hand while the other was all other place, Nico didn't know what to do with himself. His moans kept spilling out of his mouth and that only seemed to work Percy up even more.

"Percy," came Nico's strangled cry, "I'm close!"

Percy's hands let go of Nico then and Nico looked over in shock before his head flew back as warmth engulfed him. Percy looked up from his place near Nico's balls, looking at Nico in a sort of wonderment, his mouth licking and sucking Nico in a way the brown eyed boy only dreamed of. Percy licked Nico from the bottom of his balls all the way to the top of his head, swirling his tongue around it twice, licking up more dripping precum.

 _"Percy!"_

Percy then started to suck with fervor, he fondled Nico's balls while he continued to suck and stroke at the same time. Drool was dripping off the side of his mouth and down his hand but Percy didn't care, the sight before him was too great. There were a couple of times that Nico bucked his hips forward, choking Percy for a moment but that only seemed to work Nico up more.

 _"Oh god, Percy!"_ Nico yelled, "I'm-"

"Do it," Percy said as he pushed Nico's dick back inside his mouth, continuing to suck when soon enough, hot liquid started to spurt in his mouth. Percy sucked two more times, as the cum continued to spurt before coming to a stop and leaving Nico feeling boneless.

"Oh my god..." Nico whispered.

"Did you like it?" Percy asked, a satisfied smirk on his face as he looked down on Nico.

"Did I like-I loved it," Nico breathed out.

"Good, because you looked real hot right now, losing control like that."

Nico let out a laugh, Percy joining him on the couch, cuddling Nico as he came down from his high, "wait," Nico began, "what about you?"

"Don't worry about me, I wanted to do this for you," Percy whispered, he started to realize he was chewing Nico's gum. Percy shrugged his shoulders, before continuing to chew it.

"Sorry, I feel a little embarrassed," Nico said, his cheeks red.

"Don't be embarrassed, you're beautiful," Percy said as he continued to kiss Nico's cheeks, running his fingers through Nico's hair.

A _beep_ sounded out, signaling a text to Nico's phone and he took it out to read what it said.

 _From Will:_

 _Foumf Flufdy_

Nico's eyes widened, "Percy?"

"Yeah?"

"How do you feel about seeing Where's Fluffy?" Nico asked, showing Percy the text.

Percy stared for a second at the text before falling off the couch and trying to put on his shoes as fast as he could, Nico doing the same. They were a mess, dropping sweaters and jackets and only leaving the studio with only one shoe on but they quickly put on their clothes as they made their way to the address for the secret show of all secret shows that was about to take place.

And it seemed like they weren't the only ones. Despite it being almost six in the morning, people were running towards the address of the secret show, excitement filling the air as Percy and Nico joined them. Climbing up the stairs and finally making it to the roof of a building where there were other people waiting.

"Nico!" Will yelled upon seeing his best friend again, "you made it!"

"Hey!" Piper shouted, "I was wondering if you two were ever going to make it."

"Seems like you two made up?" Annabeth came, walking over to the pair, "I'm assuming things ended up good between you two?" She asked, merely glancing down at their linked hands with a single eyebrow raised.

"Very good," Percy said, smiling a big goofy smile.

"We missed you two," Reyna said, waving at them from her place next to Piper.

"Hey Nico," the happy reunion was cut short when Alex made himself known, he tapped Nico's shoulder, making him turn around. Percy looked Alex over and he felt jealously course through him again. He tightened his hold on Nico, making sure to not let Alex try to take him away, "what are you doing?" Alex asked, looking at Percy and Nico's linked hands.

"What the fuck is this?" Taylor said, barging in, "you fucking dick."

"You show up here with this guy?" Alex asked, getting angry, "are you fucking kidding me?"

"Do you realize I had to walk back to 10th by myself?" Taylor pointed an accusing finger at Percy, "because you left me!"

"Not by yourself-"

"Shut up Gary!" Taylor yelled before looking back at Percy, "are you really over me?"

"So you're telling me this is over?" Alex looked at Nico, "are you being serious? You wanna be with this pathetic, good for nothing shit head in a mediocre band. No come on," Alex said, pulling Nico more towards him, "come on, we can't be done, you promised me you were gonna give your dad our CD."

Percy looked on, feeling Nico's warmth gone from his hand and anger coursed through him, he went up to Alex and pushed him away, trying to take Nico back.

"Okay, okay," Alex said, " _this_ doesn't concern you, _Jack_ ," Alex said, pushing Percy back.

Percy's jaw worked and he spit out the gum he was chewing where it landed, ironically on the same person that Will got it from in the beginning, kind of making it come full circle, "it's Jackson," Percy said, pushing Alex back.

"Oh yeah? You blew it with your own boyfriend so now you gotta run around town with someone else's?"

"Nico isn't yours anymore," Percy said, bringing Nico back to his side, "he's mine."

"I don't think so Jackson," Alex said, pushing Percy.

"Push me again-"

"And what? Your band of girls are gonna use girl power and make me over?"

"HEY!" Piper yelled, cutting in and marching right up to Alex's face, "I've had enough of your stupid ass running your mouth!"

"Yeah!" Annabeth shouted, backing her friends up, "go ahead Piper, tell this guy where he can stick his grapes!"

"In the fridge!" Piper yelled.

"What?!" Annabeth, "what, no!"

"That's it!" Reyna yelled, going up to Alex and headbutting him in the face, knocking him back a couple of paces before the pain hit her, _"ow!"_

"Ohhh, baby," Piper soothed as Reyna hid her face in the crook of Piper's neck, "that's what you get when you mess with Blue Indigo! Now _that_ is girl power!"

"Come on," Percy grabbed Nico's hand, "let's go, let's get out of here, I just wanna be with you, away from all this."

"With you," Nico looked up at Percy, "anywhere, always."

Percy and Nico turned and ran away from their exes, their friends, the band they wanted to see most, and went anywhere they wanted to go. Which was far away from there, far away from them.

"For three years I wasted my time with Hades di Angelo's son!" Alex yelled, "and what do I have to show for it? Nothing!"

"Nico who's gonna take me home?!" Will shouted.

"Yeah well I hate your stupid band! OH and P.S, I cheated on you!" Taylor yelled after the pair.

Annabeth came up behind him, "let it go you unhappy, bitter, soul-sucking man-eater."

"Fuck off!" Taylor pushed the blonde back before turning around and walking away.

* * *

Nico and Percy made their way down to the PATH on 33rd street.

"Where are we going?" Nico asked as they walked down the stairs.

"Well there is one thing I miss about Hoboken that I don't have here in New York, and I figured before I get you home, we could made a quick pit stop."

"Where? What place?"

"Insomnia Cookies," Percy smiled.

"Wait," Nico paused in his tracks.

"What's the matter?" Percy asked.

"Aren't you upset that missed it?"

Percy smiled softly at Nico, "we didn't miss it, this _is_ it."

Nico looked at Percy, this was the man he could call his, and Nico loved knowing that. He got on tip toes and met Percy in a kiss, a sweet, affectionate kiss.

"I can't believe you're mine," Percy said, smiling wide.

"And you're mine."

-Fin-

* * *

 _Okay, so I know, again it has been awhile since I last posted here, and I know a lot of things have changed in the PJO/HOO fandom so who knows if people still ship Percico like before. And who knows if I'll even get as many views on this as maybe I once could have been able to get, but honestly, I don't really care too much about that. I just like the fact that even after all these years, I can still write for my favorite pairing. So let me know what you guys think? Please be kind!_


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